Aggressive biases towards similarly coloured males in Lake Malawi cichlid fishes.

ABSTRACT: In haplochromine cichlids, female mate choice based on male nuptial coloration has played an important role in speciation. Recent studies suggest that male coloration strongly influences the distribution of these fishes based on male-male aggression; males direct more aggression towards similarly coloured opponents while tolerating differently coloured individuals. We explored the role of male nuptial colour in aggression among the mbuna of Lake Malawi, examining aggression by male Metriaclima mbenjii, the red top cobalt zebra, towards conspecific opponents, similarly coloured heterospecific opponents and differently coloured heterospecifics. In trials in which focal males were offered a single opponent, while the total number of aggressive behaviours did not vary among opponent species, t

SUBMITTER: Pauers MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2429924 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature