scholarly journals Species-Specific Relationships between Water Transparency and Male Coloration within and between Two Closely Related Lake Victoria Cichlid Species

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth F. Castillo Cajas ◽  
Oliver M. Selz ◽  
Erwin A. P. Ripmeester ◽  
Ole Seehausen ◽  
Martine E. Maan
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Animal Communication ◽  
Lake Victoria ◽  
Species Difference ◽  
Water Transparency ◽  
Species Differentiation ◽  
Cichlid Species ◽  
Body Regions ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Male Coloration

Environmental variation in signalling conditions affects animal communication traits, with possible consequences for sexual selection and reproductive isolation. Using spectrophotometry, we studied how male coloration within and between populations of two closely related Lake Victoria cichlid species (Pundamilia pundamilia and P. nyererei) covaries with water transparency. Focusing on coloration patches implicated in sexual selection, we predicted that in clear waters, with broad-spectrum light, (1) colours should become more saturated and (2) shift in hue away from the dominant ambient wavelengths, compared to more turbid waters. We found support for these predictions for the red and yellow coloration of P. nyererei but not the blue coloration of P. pundamilia. This may be explained by the species difference in depth distribution, which generates a steeper gradient in visual conditions for P. nyererei compared to P. pundamilia. Alternatively, the importance of male coloration in intraspecific sexual selection may differ between the species. We also found that anal fin spots, that is, the orange spots on male haplochromine anal fins that presumably mimic eggs, covaried with water transparency in a similar way for both species. This is in contrast to the other body regions studied and suggests that, while indeed functioning as signals, these spots may not play a role in species differentiation.

scholarly journals Developmental effects of environmental light on male nuptial coloration in Lake Victoria cichlid fish

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel S. Wright ◽  
Emma Rietveld ◽  
Martine E. Maan
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Isolation ◽  
Lake Victoria ◽  
Cichlid Fish ◽  
Light Condition ◽  
Male Reproductive Success ◽  
Light Conditions ◽  
Nuptial Coloration ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Depth Ranges ◽  
Male Coloration

Background. Efficient communication requires that signals are well transmitted and perceived in a given environment. Natural selection therefore drives the evolution of different signals in different environments. In addition, environmental heterogeneity at small spatial or temporal scales may favour phenotypic plasticity in signaling traits, as plasticity may allow rapid adjustment of signal expression to optimize transmission. In this study, we explore signal plasticity in the nuptial coloration of Lake Victoria cichlids, Pundamilia pundamilia and Pundamilia nyererei. These two species differ in male coloration, which mediates species-assortative mating. They occur in adjacent depth ranges with different light environments. Given the close proximity of their habitats, overlapping at some locations, plasticity in male coloration could contribute to male reproductive success but interfere with reproductive isolation. Methods. We reared P. pundamilia, P. nyererei, and their hybrids under light conditions mimicking the two depth ranges in Lake Victoria. From photographs, we quantified the nuptial coloration of males, spanning the entire visible spectrum. In experiment 1, we examined developmental colour plasticity by comparing sibling males reared in each light condition. In experiment 2, we assessed colour plasticity in adulthood, by switching adult males between conditions and tracking coloration for 100 days. Results. We found that nuptial colour in Pundamilia did respond plastically to our light manipulations, but only in a limited hue range. Fish that were reared in light conditions mimicking the deeper habitat were significantly greener than those in conditions mimicking shallow waters. The species-specific nuptial colours (blue and red) did not change. When moved to the opposing light condition as adults, males did not change colour. Discussion. Our results show that species-specific nuptial colours, which are subject to strong divergent selection by female choice, are not plastic. We do find plasticity in green coloration, a response that may contribute to visual conspicuousness in darker, red-shifted light environments. These results suggest that light-environment-induced plasticity in male nuptial coloration in P. pundamilia and P. nyererei is limited and does not interfere with reproductive isolation.

scholarly journals Developmental effects of environmental light on male nuptial coloration in Lake Victoria cichlid fish

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Shane Wright ◽  
Emma Rietveld ◽  
Martine E. Maan
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Isolation ◽  
Lake Victoria ◽  
Cichlid Fish ◽  
Light Condition ◽  
Male Reproductive Success ◽  
Light Conditions ◽  
Nuptial Coloration ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Depth Ranges ◽  
Male Coloration

BackgroundEfficient communication requires that signals are well transmitted and perceived in a given environment. Natural selection therefore drives the evolution of different signals in different environments. In addition, environmental heterogeneity at small spatial or temporal scales may favour phenotypic plasticity in signaling traits, as plasticity may allow rapid adjustment of signal expression to optimize transmission. In this study, we explore signal plasticity in the nuptial coloration of Lake Victoria cichlids,Pundamilia pundamiliaandPundamilia nyererei.These two species differ in male coloration, which mediates species-assortative mating. They occur in adjacent depth ranges with different light environments. Given the close proximity of their habitats, overlapping at some locations, plasticity in male coloration could contribute to male reproductive success but interfere with reproductive isolation.MethodsWe rearedP. pundamilia,P. nyererei,and their hybrids under light conditions mimicking the two depth ranges in Lake Victoria. From photographs, we quantified the nuptial coloration of males, spanning the entire visible spectrum. In experiment 1, we examined developmental colour plasticity by comparing sibling males reared in each light condition. In experiment 2, we assessed colour plasticity in adulthood, by switching adult males between conditions and tracking coloration for 100 days.ResultsWe found that nuptial colour inPundamiliadid respond plastically to our light manipulations, but only in a limited hue range. Fish that were reared in light conditions mimicking the deeper habitat were significantly greener than those in conditions mimicking shallow waters. The species-specific nuptial colours (blue and red) did not change. When moved to the opposing light condition as adults, males did not change colour.DiscussionOur results show that species-specific nuptial colours, which are subject to strong divergent selection by female choice, are not plastic. We do find plasticity in green coloration, a response that may contribute to visual conspicuousness in darker, red-shifted light environments. These results suggest that light-environment-induced plasticity in male nuptial coloration inP. pundamiliaandP. nyerereiis limited and does not interfere with reproductive isolation.

scholarly journals Female mating preferences and male coloration covary with water transparency in a Lake Victoria cichlid fish

2010 ◽  
Vol 99 (2) ◽  
pp. 398-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARTINE E. MAAN ◽  
OLE SEEHAUSEN ◽  
JACQUES J. M. VAN ALPHEN
Keyword(s):  
Lake Victoria ◽  
Cichlid Fish ◽  
Water Transparency ◽  
Mating Preferences ◽  
Female Mating ◽  
Female Mating Preferences ◽  
Male Coloration

scholarly journals Electrocommunication in pulse Gymnotiformes: the role of electric organ discharge (EOD) time course in species identification

2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (16) ◽  
pp. jeb226340
Author(s):  
Joseph C. Waddell ◽  
Angel A. Caputi
Keyword(s):  
Electric Field ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Electric Organ Discharge ◽  
Animal Communication ◽  
Electric Organ ◽  
Species Differentiation ◽  
Communication Signals ◽  
Signal Features ◽  
Field Lines ◽  
Species Specific

ABSTRACTUnderstanding how individuals detect and recognize signals emitted by conspecifics is fundamental to discussions of animal communication. The species pair Gymnotus omarorum and Brachyhypopomus gauderio, found in syntopy in Uruguay, emit species-specific electric organ discharge (EOD) that can be sensed by both species. The aim of this study was to unveil whether either of these species is able to identify a conspecific EOD, and to investigate distinctive recognition signal features. We designed a forced-choice experiment using a natural behavior (i.e. tracking electric field lines towards their source) in which each fish had to choose between a conspecific and a heterospecific electric field. We found a clear pattern of preference for a conspecific waveform even when pulses were played within 1 Hz of the same rate. By manipulating the time course of the explored signals, we found that the signal features for preference between conspecific and heterospecific waveforms were embedded in the time course of the signals. This study provides evidence that pulse Gymnotiformes can recognize a conspecific exclusively through species-specific electrosensory signals. It also suggests that the key signal features for species differentiation are probably encoded by burst coder electroreceptors. Given these results, and because receptors are sharply tuned to amplitude spectra and also tuned to phase spectra, we extend the electric color hypothesis used in the evaluation of objects to apply to communication signals.

scholarly journals Developmental effects of environmental light on male nuptial coloration in Lake Victoria cichlid fish

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel S. Wright ◽  
Emma Rietveld ◽  
Martine E. Maan
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Isolation ◽  
Lake Victoria ◽  
Cichlid Fish ◽  
Light Condition ◽  
Male Reproductive Success ◽  
Light Conditions ◽  
Nuptial Coloration ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Depth Ranges ◽  
Male Coloration

Background. Efficient communication requires that signals are well transmitted and perceived in a given environment. Natural selection therefore drives the evolution of different signals in different environments. In addition, environmental heterogeneity at small spatial or temporal scales may favour phenotypic plasticity in signaling traits, as plasticity may allow rapid adjustment of signal expression to optimize transmission. In this study, we explore signal plasticity in the nuptial coloration of Lake Victoria cichlids, Pundamilia pundamilia and Pundamilia nyererei. These two species differ in male coloration, which mediates species-assortative mating. They occur in adjacent depth ranges with different light environments. Given the close proximity of their habitats, overlapping at some locations, plasticity in male coloration could contribute to male reproductive success but interfere with reproductive isolation. Methods. We reared P. pundamilia, P. nyererei, and their hybrids under light conditions mimicking the two depth ranges in Lake Victoria. From photographs, we quantified the nuptial coloration of males, spanning the entire visible spectrum. In experiment 1, we examined developmental colour plasticity by comparing sibling males reared in each light condition. In experiment 2, we assessed colour plasticity in adulthood, by switching adult males between conditions and tracking coloration for 100 days. Results. We found that nuptial colour in Pundamilia did respond plastically to our light manipulations, but only in a limited hue range. Fish that were reared in light conditions mimicking the deeper habitat were significantly greener than those in conditions mimicking shallow waters. The species-specific nuptial colours (blue and red) did not change. When moved to the opposing light condition as adults, males did not change colour. Discussion. Our results show that species-specific nuptial colours, which are subject to strong divergent selection by female choice, are not plastic. We do find plasticity in green coloration, a response that may contribute to visual conspicuousness in darker, red-shifted light environments. These results suggest that light-environment-induced plasticity in male nuptial coloration in P. pundamilia and P. nyererei is limited and does not interfere with reproductive isolation.

scholarly journals Social fishes and single mothers: brain evolution in African cichlids

2008 ◽  
Vol 276 (1654) ◽  
pp. 161-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Gonzalez-Voyer ◽  
Svante Winberg ◽  
Niclas Kolm
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Brain Size ◽  
Brain Evolution ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Cichlid Species ◽  
Uniparental Care ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Female Brain ◽  
Care Patterns ◽  
Species Specific

As with any organ, differences in brain size—after adequate control of allometry—are assumed to be a response to selection. With over 200 species and an astonishing diversity in niche preferences and social organization, Tanganyikan cichlids present an excellent opportunity to study brain evolution. We used phylogenetic comparative analyses of sexed adults from 39 Tanganyikan cichlid species in a multiple regression framework to investigate the influence of ecology, sexual selection and parental care patterns on whole brain size, as well as to analyse sex-specific effects. First, using species-specific measures, we analysed the influence of diet, habitat, form of care (mouthbrooding or substrate guarding), care type (biparental or female only) and intensity of sexual selection on brain size, while controlling for body size. Then, we repeated the analyses for male and female brain size separately. Type of diet and care type were significantly correlated with whole brain size. Sex-specific analyses showed that female brain size correlated significantly with care type while male brain size was uncorrelated with care type. Our results suggest that more complex social interactions associated with diet select for larger brains and further that the burden of uniparental care exerts high cognitive demands on females.

scholarly journals Intraspecific sexual selection on a speciation trait, male coloration, in the Lake Victoria cichlid Pundamilia nyererei

2004 ◽  
Vol 271 (1556) ◽  
pp. 2445-2452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martine E. Maan ◽  
Ole Seehausen ◽  
Linda Söderberg ◽  
Lisa Johnson ◽  
Erwin A. P. Ripmeester ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Lake Victoria ◽  
Male Coloration

Vocal Learning of Japanese and Rhesus Monkeys

Behaviour ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 109 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 191-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuo Masataka ◽  
Kazuo Fujita
Keyword(s):  
Rhesus Monkeys ◽  
Japanese Monkey ◽  
Species Difference ◽  
Vocal Learning ◽  
The Other ◽  
Playback Experiments ◽  
Biological Mothers ◽  
Japanese Monkeys ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Species Specific

AbstractForaging vocalizations given by Japanese and rhesus momkeys reared by their biological mothers differed from each other in a single parameter. Calls made by a Japanese monkey fostered by a rhesus female were dissimilar to those of conspecifics reared by their biological mothers, but similar to those of rhesus monkeys reared by their biological mothers, and the vocalizations given by rhesus monkeys fostered by Japanese monkey mothers were dissimilar to those of conspecifics reared by their biological mothers, but similar to those of Japanese monkeys reared by their biological mothers. Playback experiments revealed that both Japanese and rhesus monkeys distinguished between the calls of Japanese monkeys reared by their biological mothers and of the cross-fostered rhesus monkeys on one hand, and the vocalizations of rhesus monkeys reared by their biological mothers and of the cross-fostered Japanese monkey on the other hand. Thus, production of species-specific vocalizations was learned by each species, and it was the learned species-difference which the monkeys themselves discriminated.

scholarly journals Relationships between water transparency and abundance of Cynodontidae species in the Bananal floodplain, Mato Grosso, Brazil

2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cesar Enrique de Melo ◽  
Jane Dilvana Lima ◽  
Eliete Francisca da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Water Transparency ◽  
Predatory Fish ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Central Brazil ◽  
Fish Group ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Abundance And Distribution ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Habitat Affinities

The Cerrado in the Central Brazil is currently one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world. As a result, the aquatic habitats in this biome also undergo great impacts. Alterations related to land-use change increase sediment loadings in rivers, streams and lakes, resulting in sedimentation and decrease in water transparency. Water transparency determines underwater visibility conditions, and as a consequence fish assemblages respond to spatial and temporal changes in this variable. This work aimed to examine the influence of transparency on the abundance and distribution of Cynodontidae species, a visually oriented predatory fish group. Fish sampling was conducted in 15 sites located between Mortes and Araguaia rivers in the Bananal floodplain, Mato Grosso State. Regression analysis between relative abundance of Cynodontidae (in number of individuals and biomass) and water transparency showed a positive and highly significant correlation, indicating that this group shows species-specific habitat affinities for clearer waters. These results suggest that the increase in water turbidity in this region can affect the patterns of abundance and distribution of the Cynodontidae species, as well as other visually oriented fishes.

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