The Role of Chemical and Visual Stimuli in the Preferential Discrimination of Young by the Cichlid Fish Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum (Günther)

Abstract While the importance of kin discrimination, that is, kin recognition and subsequent differential treatment of kin and nonkin, is well established for kin-directed cooperation or altruism, the role of kin discrimination in the context of kin competition and kin avoidance is largely unexplored. Theory predicts that individuals avoiding competition with kin should be favored by natural selection due to indirect fitness benefits. Using an experimental approach, we investigated whether the presence of same-sex kin affects avoidance and explorative behavior in subadult Pelvicachromis taeniatus, a West African cichlid fish with strong intrasexual competition in both sexes. Pelvicachromis taeniatus is capable of recognizing kin using phenotype matching and shows kin discrimination in diverse contexts. When exposed to a same-sex conspecific, both males and females tended to interact less with the related opponent. Moreover, individuals explored a novel environment faster after exposure to kin than to nonkin. This effect was more pronounced in females. Individuals avoiding the proximity of same-sex relatives may reduce kin competition over resources such as mating partners or food.

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Past reproductive effort affects parental behaviour in a cichlid fish, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum: a comparison of inexperienced and experienced breeders with normal and experimentally reduced broods

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology ◽

10.1007/bf00177796 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 36 (3) ◽

pp. 193-199 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Robert J. Lavery ◽

Robert J. Laveryl

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Effort ◽

Cichlid Fish ◽

Parental Behaviour ◽

Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum

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Female mate choice in the cichlid fish Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum

Animal Behaviour ◽

10.1016/s0003-3472(83)80005-0 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 1005-1010 ◽

Cited By ~ 67

Author(s):

Katherine C. Noonan

Keyword(s):

Mate Choice ◽

Cichlid Fish ◽

Female Mate Choice ◽

Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum ◽

Female Mate

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Characterization of Lobula Giant Neurons Responsive to Visual Stimuli That Elicit Escape Behaviors in the Crab Chasmagnathus

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00803.2007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 98 (4) ◽

pp. 2414-2428 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Violeta Medan ◽

Damián Oliva ◽

Daniel Tomsic

Keyword(s):

Visual Memory ◽

Visual Stimuli ◽

Visually Guided ◽

Wide Range ◽

Large Motion ◽

Escape Behaviors ◽

Neuronal Type

In the grapsid crab Chasmagnathus, a visual danger stimulus elicits a strong escape response that diminishes rapidly on stimulus repetition. This behavioral modification can persist for several days as a result of the formation of an associative memory. We have previously shown that a generic group of large motion-sensitive neurons from the lobula of the crab respond to visual stimuli and accurately reflect the escape performance. Additional evidence indicates that these neurons play a key role in visual memory and in the decision to initiate an escape. Although early studies recognized that the group of lobula giant (LG) neurons consisted of different classes of motion-sensitive cells, a distinction between these classes has been lacking. Here, we recorded in vivo the responses of individual LG neurons to a wide range of visual stimuli presented in different segments of the animal's visual field. Physiological characterizations were followed by intracellular dye injections, which permitted comparison of the functional and morphological features of each cell. All LG neurons consisted of large tangential arborizations in the lobula with axons projecting toward the midbrain. Functionally, these cells proved to be more sensitive to single objects than to flow field motion. Despite these commonalities, clear differences in morphology and physiology allowed us to identify four distinct classes of LG neurons. These results will permit analysis of the role of each neuronal type for visually guided behaviors and will allow us to address specific questions on the neuronal plasticity of LGs that underlie the well-recognized memory model of the crab.

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Fish-to-Fish Attraction and the Facilitation of Feeding Behavior as Mediated by Visual Stimuli in Striped Mullet, Mugil cephalus

Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada ◽

10.1139/f74-204 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 31 (10) ◽

pp. 1621-1630 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Bori L. Olla ◽

Carol Samet

Keyword(s):

Feeding Behavior ◽

Visual Stimuli ◽

Mugil Cephalus ◽

Pomatomus Saltatrix ◽

Striped Mullet ◽

Visual Contact ◽

Atlantic Mackerel ◽

Feeding Group ◽

Tank System

Single juvenile striped mullet, Mugil cephalus, tested in a specially designed experimental tank system, were allowed visual contact with a group of fish located in one of four adjacent tanks. Attraction of mullet isolates was greatest to a group of species mates, and less to bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, and Atlantic mackerel, Scomber scombrus, groups, respectively.To study the role of visual stimuli in feeding behavior, responses of mullet isolates were measured under three different test conditions: 1) absence of a group of species mates, 2) presence of a feeding group, and 3) presence of a nonfeeding group. Isolates tested in the absence of a group began feeding only after some delay, although the total number of subsequent feeding responses remained high. When isolates viewed a feeding group, the initiation of feeding was greatly facilitated, with the total number of feedings remaining high until the latter part of a test. Isolates viewing a nonfeeding group showed inhibition in the latency to feed as well as a low number of grazing responses. The significance of these observed responses is discussed.

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