Egg-mediated maternal effects in a cooperatively breeding cichlid fish.

ABSTRACT: Mothers can influence offspring phenotype through egg-mediated maternal effects, which can be influenced by cues mothers obtain from their environment during offspring production. Developing embryos use these components but have mechanisms to alter maternal signals. Here we aimed to understand the role of mothers and embryos in how maternal effects might shape offspring social phenotype. In the cooperatively breeding fish Neolamprologus pulcher different social phenotypes develop in large and small social groups differing in predation risk and social complexity. We manipulated the maternal social environment of N. pulcher females during egg laying by allocating them either to a small or a large social group. We compared egg mass and clutch size and the concentration of corticosteroid metab

SUBMITTER: Reyes-Contreras M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10276030 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature