Effects of pairing on color change and central gene expression in lined seahorses.

ABSTRACT: Social monogamy is a reproductive strategy characterized by pair living and defense of a common territory. Pair bonding, sometimes displayed by monogamous species, is an affective construct that includes preference for a specific partner, distress upon separation, and the ability of the partner to buffer against stress. Many seahorse species show a monogamous social structure in the wild, but their pair bond has not been well studied. We examined the gene expression of lined seahorses (Hippocampus erectus) during and after the process of pairing in the laboratory as well as color change (luminance), a potential form of social communication and behavioral synchrony between pair mates. When a seahorse of either sex was interacting with its pair mate, their changes in luminance ("brightness")

SUBMITTER: Mederos SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9744553 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature