Kin assortment in juvenile shoals in wild guppy populations.

ABSTRACT: Grouping provides many potential benefits to individuals in terms of foraging and anti-predator protection. However, it has been suggested that individuals could gain additional benefits in terms of indirect fitness by grouping with kin. Surprisingly, the genetic composition of wild fish shoals and the importance of kin-associated shoaling remain poorly understood. The Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata) has life history traits that might promote kin structure of shoals such as internal fertilisation and small brood size in contrast to many other fish species. Even though previous studies did not find any indication of kin structure in shoals of adult guppies, it is possible that related juveniles remain together in shoals, partly because of lower mobility and because the advantages of

SUBMITTER: Piyapong C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3186225 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature