Does losing reduce the tendency to engage with rivals to reach mates? An experimental test.

ABSTRACT: Male-male contests for access to females or breeding resources are critical in determining male reproductive success. Larger males and those with more effective weaponry are more likely to win fights. However, even after controlling for such predictors of fighting ability, studies have reported a winner-loser effect: previous winners are more likely to win subsequent contests, while losers often suffer repeated defeats. While the effect of winning-losing is well-documented for the outcome of future fights, its effect on other behaviors (e.g. mating) remains poorly investigated. Here, we test whether a winning versus losing experience influenced subsequent behaviors of male mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) toward rivals and potential mates. We housed focal males with either a smalle

SUBMITTER: Zang C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11107846 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul-Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature