Behaviour and success of sneaker males in the sand goby, Pomatoschistus minutus |
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Authors: | Stefano Malavasi Kai Lindström Lotta Sundström |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Ecology and Systematics, P.O. Box 17, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland,;(2) Present address: Dipartimento di scienze ambientali, Castello 2737/B, 30122 Venice, Italy, |
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Abstract: | In this study we investigated in laboratory conditions the presence of alternative reproductive tactics in the sand goby
and describe proximate factors affecting their expression and success. We describe the reciprocal interactions of resident
males, females, and sneaking males. The pre-spawning phase proved to be important for successful nest intrusions by sneakers.
The number of sneakers had no effect on the frequency of successful intrusions. When small males had exclusive access to nest
sites, they built a nest and courted females, showing a full behavioural repertoire. The intensity of courtship was, however,
strongly positively correlated with body size. Using microsatellite DNA markers we assessed paternity shares of territorial
and sneaker males in a subset of all replicates. Following successful nest intrusion sneaker males fertilised 5–10% of the
eggs. Our interpretation of the results is that sneaking in the sand goby is a conditional tactic, one that is less successful
than the normal nest guarding behaviour, at least for one spawning event.
Received in revised form: 9 March 2001
Electronic Publication |
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Keywords: | Sneakers Alternative tactics Conditional strategy Courtship Sand goby |
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