Ecotype differences in aggression, neural activity and behaviorally relevant gene expression in cichlid fish.

ABSTRACT: In Lake Malawi, two ecologically distinct lineages of cichlid fishes (rock- vs sand-dwelling ecotypes, each comprised of over 200 species) evolved within the last million years. The rock-dwelling species (Mbuna) are aggressively territorial year-round and males court and spawn with females over rocky substrate. In contrast, males of sand-dwelling species are not territorial and instead aggregate on seasonal breeding leks in which males construct courtship "bowers" in the sand. However, little is known about how phenotypic variation in aggression is produced by the genome. In this study, we first quantify and compare behavior in seven cichlid species, demonstrating substantial ecotype and species differences in unconditioned mirror-elicited aggression. Second, we compare neural activity in

SUBMITTER: Baran NM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7402082 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature