Artificial selection for male winners in the Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens correlates with high female aggression.

ABSTRACT: In Southeast Asia, males of the Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens have been selected across centuries for paired-staged fights. During the selection process, matched for size males fight in a small tank until the contest is resolved. Breeders discard losing batches and reproduce winner batches with the aim of increasing fight performance. We assessed the results of this long-term selection process by comparing under standard laboratory conditions male and female aggressive behaviour of one strain selected for staged fights ("fighters") and one strain of wild-types. The aggressive response of adult fish was tested against their mirror image or a size-matched conspecific. Fighter males were more aggressive than wild-type males for all measured behaviours. Differences were not only

SUBMITTER: Ramos A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6686523 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature