Reproductive behaviour of the angelfish Pterophyllum scalare (Pisces: Cichilidae) II. Influence of male stimuli upon the spawning rate of females

Thirty female Pterophyllum scalare were individually exposed for 60 days to treatments varying in the types of available stimuli from conspecific males, (isolated from males, but not from another female; exposed to chemical stimulation; exposed to visual stimulation; exposed to both visual and chemical stimulation; and controls). The influence of these treatments upon spawning rate and interval was determined. The isolates spawned at lower rates than did all other groups. Chemical or visual stimulation increased spawning rates near to the control level. The two stimuli presented simultaneously resulted in higher spawning rates than when either were presented alone and hence, appeared to have an additive effect.     

Growth,reproduction, and feeding oF Fundulus heteroclitus (L.) on a North Carolina salt marsh

Fundulus heteroclitus (L.) from a North Carolina Spartina marsh teed largely on small crustaceans (amphipods, tanaids and copepods) and polychaetes. Fish longer than 30 mm standard length also ingested considerable amounts of living plant material. Smaller individuals were distinctly carnivorous. Recognizable particles of Spartina detritus occurred in less than 15% of the guts examined. The relationship of weight to length changed significantly during the year. Although females were larger than males of the same age. males were heavier than females of the same length, except for a brief period at the peak of the spawning season in the early spring. An average second season fish may lay up to 512 eggs from March through August, but first season fish did not reach reproductive size by the end of the spawning season. Growth of first season fish in mid-summer averaged 5% of their total weight per day. These significant seasonal changes in ecological properties of killifish populations are important in any estimates of growth, reproduction, and production.     

Reproductive state and care giving in Stegodyphus (Araneae: Eresidae) and the implications for the evolution of sociality

Cooperative brood care is a rare phenomenon in spiders and is restricted to a few social species, including three in the genus Stegodyphus. Brood care in Stegodyphus begins with regurgitation feeding followed by matriphagy: the young consume the body fluids of their mother causing her to die quickly. Whether such an extreme form of maternal care can become a communal task should depend on physiological or historical preconditions. I investigated whether femaleStegodyphus lineatus feed young or allow matriphagy according to their own reproductive state. Broods of young of two age classes (2 or 10 days after hatching) were isolated or fostered out to adult females that were unmated, had eggs or had young. Growth and survival of females and broods were followed over 21 days. The timing of matriphagy depended on the interaction between age of young and state of the foster mother. All broods that were fostered out to females with young grew and survived. Two-day-old young did not survive when isolated or fostered out to unmated females, but some survived and gained weight when placed with foster mothers that cared for egg sacs. Young of 10 days of age grew when fostered out to females with eggs but did not grow or lost weight when isolated or fostered out to unmated females. Survival among 10-day spiderlings was relatively high in all groups but differed significantly between treatments (young isolated or fostered out to unmated females or females with eggs) and control (left with the mother). The results show that these spiders will care for young from other females only when they are in the right developmental state. Such a constraint can have important consequences for the evolution of allomaternal care in social species: unless such a mechanism is overcome, nonreproductives cannot help in brood care. Copyright 2002 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.     

Non-synchronous spawning behavior in laboratory reared amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri Gray

Spontaneous spawning in amphioxus (Branchiostoma belcheri Gray) was observed in a tank and the characteristics of spawning were analyzed by video recording under infrared light conditions during summer of 2001. Everyday when spawning was observed, without exception a male first swam up from the bottom and released sperm near the water at the surface of the tank. The initiation time of the male spawning gradually became earlier as days passed. Spawning males and females individually swam up at various intervals and released gametes. However, at the population level, the spawning pattern of amphioxus was considered to be synchronous because both males and females intensively spawned around 90 min after the spawning of the first male. The act of releasing eggs or sperms of individuals was shorter than 10 min in most of the spawning animals.     

Effects of different levels of sensory contact upon reproductive activity of adult male and female Sarotherodon (Tilapia) mossambicus (Peters); Pisces: Cichlidae

Social control of reproduction in the cichlid fish Sarotherodon mossambicus was studied in visually isolated (low-contact) males and females; male-female, male-male, and female-female pairs in adjacent aquaria with visual contact (medium-contact), and in the same aquarium (unlimited-contact). Variables included interspawning interval (ISI), gonosomic index, and gonadal histology. Results indicated that unlimited-contact fish showed enhanced reproductive activity compared with low-contact animals. Medium-contact groups were intermediate, but with the exception of ISI, not significantly different from either low- or unlimited-contact fish. Findings were discussed within the framework of the maternal mouth-brooding system.     

Visual signals in the courtship of Drosophila melanogaster

Drosophila melanogaster carrying either of the mutations sev or dipp⁶ show defective phototactic behaviour owing to deficiencies in the processing of visual information perceived by the central retinula cells (R7, R8). Mutant females show increased time to mating because the deficient visual input via this subsystem has an inhibitory effect on female receptivity. Similarly, deficient input through the peripheral retinula cells (R1–R6) also makes females sexually unreceptive. Thus females require appropriate visual stimulation through both subsystems to become maximally sexually receptive. One major source of this stimulation is the red eye of the male.     

Multiple matings in the blue gourami, Trichogaster trichopterus (Pisces,Belontiidae)

The reproductive behaviour of the blue gourami, Trichogaster trichopterus, was examined in 15 bisexual pairs and 22 trios maintained in 75-litre aquaria for 23 days. During this time, 74 spawning episodes occurred among 26 different pairs and trios. Sixty-nine of these spawnings were directly observed. Both males and females were capable of mating repeatedly with the same or different partners with as little as 20 to 24 h separating successive spawnings. Females often mated with two males in the same afternoon, while only one male succeeded in mating with two females in one day. It is concluded that blue gouramis probably do not form pair bonds and that both sexes will mate with differet partners when the physical environment permits two or more males to maintain territories in the same aquarium.     

Reproductive cycles in littoral populations of Choromytilus meridionalis (Kr.) and Aulacomya ater (Molina) with a quantitative assessment of gamete production in the former

Changes in ovary weight and ovary smears of Choromytilus meridionalis (Kr.) and Aulacomya ater (Molina) showed the breeding season to extend throughout the spring and summer months (Aug.-Feb.). Release of gametes was intermittent with regeneration of the gonad after peak spawning periods. Populations spawned synchronously or asynchronously with an average of 50% of individuals spawning at any one time. The end of the breeding season was marked by gonad depletion and resorption of gametes. Gametogenesis followed rapidly and large quantities of reserve material were not deposited in the mantle during the winter months as in Mytilus edulis.The False Bay population of Choromytilus meridionalis has predominantly synchronous spawning and gamete production for two breeding seasons was calculated. The quantity of gametes released varied annually and was not significantly different in males and females. Mean gamete production was calculated as 1.17 × standing crop expressed as dry flesh weight, or 1.33 × energy value of the standing crop per annum.     

Demographic Structure,Sex Ratio and Growth Rates of Southern Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) on the Spawning Ground

The demographics of the southern bluefin tuna (SBT) Thunnus maccoyii spawning stock were examined through a large-scale monitoring program of the Indonesian longline catch on the spawning ground between 1995 and 2012. The size and age structure of the spawning population has undergone significant changes since monitoring began. There has been a reduction in the relative abundance of larger/older SBT in the catch since the early 2000s, and a corresponding decrease in mean length and age, but there was no evidence of a significant truncation of the age distribution. Pulses of young SBT appear in the catches in the early- and mid-2000s and may be the first evidence of increased recruitment into the spawning stock since 1995. Fish in these two recruitment pulses were spawned around 1991 and 1997. Size-related variations in sex ratio were also observed with female bias for fish less than 170 cm FL and male bias for fish greater than 170 cm FL. This trend of increasing proportion of males with size above 170 cm FL is likely to be related to sexual dimorphism in growth rates as male length-at-age is greater than that for females after age 10 years. Mean length-at-age of fish aged 8–10 years was greater for both males and females on the spawning ground than off the spawning ground, suggesting that size may be the dominant factor determining timing of maturation in SBT. In addition to these direct results, the data and samples from this program have been central to the assessment and management of this internationally harvested stock.     

B型烟粉虱对寄主转换的适应性

将B型烟粉虱分别从嗜性较强的番茄上转移到嗜性相对较弱的国抗22棉花、泗棉3号棉花和辣椒上, 以及从嗜性较弱的辣椒上转移到嗜性相对较强的番茄、国抗22棉花和泗棉3号棉花上, 观察寄主转移后的F₁代、F₂代、F₃代烟粉虱产卵效应和寄主适应度的变化;将F₄代烟粉虱再转移到原寄主, 观察烟粉虱产卵效应和寄主适应度的恢复情况。结果表明, 烟粉虱在不同嗜性寄主上的产卵效应存在明显的差异。在不同嗜性的寄主之间转移, 烟粉虱的寄主适应度变化趋势不同, 从嗜性较强的寄主转移到嗜好性相对较弱的寄主上, 烟粉虱的寄主适应度迅速下降;从嗜性较弱的寄主向嗜性较强的寄主转移后, 烟粉虱的适应度则会迅速提高。烟粉虱对新寄主的适应速度与其对原寄主和新寄主之间的嗜性差异程度有关, 但一般经过1-2个世代后, 产卵效应会逐渐恢复到烟粉虱在该寄主上的正常水平。从过渡寄主转移到原寄主, 烟粉虱的寄主适应度变化符合一般的寄主转移规律, 但嗜性相对较强的过渡寄主可以刺激烟粉虱提高寄主适应性。     

Patterns of female choice in mottled sculpins (Cottidae,teleostei)

large male sculpins (Cottus bairdi) breed earlier in the spawning season and mate with more females than do smaller males. These patterns are attributable to female preference for large mates, and reflect the fact that larger males make better egg guardians. Results of a computer simulation of female choice in which females mated with a male who was larger than or equal to the last male encountered are consistent with many of the observed patterns of male courtship success.     

Behavioural dominance and reproductive success in female Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata)

Eight years of reproductive data (including 248 births) from a translocated troop of Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) living in a 42-ha enclosure provided three measures of female reproductive success: fecundity, survival of infants to 1 year of age, and age at first parturition. No significant relationship was found between social dominance and these measures. Social dominance was considered with respect to both matrilineal and individual female rank. Additional data on female dominance ranks over four generations of adult females revealed no significant concordance over time. The finding that ranks may not be stable over the lifetime of a female is a significant one because the variation in reproductive success among the females of a group is likely to be further diminished by any instability. For 34 females that were adults for the 8-year period considered, there was no significant correlation between the average rank of a female and either fecundity or survivorship of infants to 1 year of age. These data considered along with the results of other studies of female dominance and reproduction suggest that any effect of female social dominance on reproductive success is probably dependent upon resource availability, with significant benefits accruing to high-ranking individuals only during subsistence periods. It is suggested that dominance competition among female macaques may be a behavioural strategy with a variable payoff.     

Preliminary observations of spawning behavior of white-streaked grouper (Epinephelus ongus) in an Okinawan coral reef

Epinephelus ongus forms spawning aggregations at specific reef sites at Okinawa. The aim of the present study was to describe the spawning behavior of E. ongus based upon underwater video imagery. Epinephelus ongus spawning is usually paired with courting males and females rushing upwards towards the surface during the spawning ascent, with a subsequent release of eggs at the apex of the ascent. In two of four spawning events we observed, however, the ascending pair was joined by additional males. Fish eggs collected at the site were identified as those of E. ongus and confirmed that this species spawns mainly at night during a slack tide. This study is the first documentation of E. ongus spawning behavior in the field.     

Egg production and early development of Thysanoessa inermis and Euphausia pacifica (Crustacea: Euphausiacea) in the northern Gulf of Alaska

Early life history patterns were studied in the dominant euphausiids from the northern Gulf of Alaska (GOA) in 2001-2004. Gravid females of Thysanoessa inermis were observed in April and May. Brood size varied from 10 to 1021 eggs with an average of 138 ± 19 (95% CI) eggs female^− 1. Most gravid females started to release eggs within the first 2 days of incubation. The average number of eggs released per female was similar in incubation Day 1 and 2, but significantly smaller on Day 3 and 4. About 25% of the females were continuously releasing eggs over 3 days rather than producing a single distinctive brood. In contrast, gravid females of Euphausia pacifica were observed from early July through October. Most gravid females released eggs on the first day of observation, while only 2% of females produced eggs repeatedly. Brood size varied from 20 to 246 eggs with an average of 102 ± 12 (95% CI) eggs female^− 1. The relationship between E. pacifica brood size and ambient chlorophyll-a concentration was sigmoidal (r² = 0.73), with food saturated brood size of 144 ± 14(SE, P < 0.001) eggs, and half-saturation occurring at 0.46 ± 0.02(SE, P < 0.001) mg chlorophyll-a m^− 3. The average interbrood interval of E. pacifica reared at 12 °C and satiated food conditions in the laboratory was ∼ 8 days, suggesting their potential individual fecundity in the GOA was 1148-1530 eggs per spawning season. Hatching and early development (from egg to furcilia stage) was studied under 5 °C, 8 °C and 12 °C. Hatching was nearly synchronous and lasted 3-6 h, depending on incubation temperature. Development times from egg to the first furcilia stage ranged between 20 and 33 days for T. inermis, and 15 and 45 days for E. pacifica at 12 °C and 5 °C, respectively.     

Seasonality, sociality, and reproduction: Long-term stressors of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta)

Fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) concentrations are reliable, non-invasive indices of physiological stress that provide insight into an animal's energetic and social demands. To better characterize the long-term stressors in adult members of a female-dominant, seasonally breeding species - the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) - we first validated fecal samples against serum samples and then examined the relationship between fGC concentrations and seasonal, social, demographic, genetic, and reproductive variables. Between 1999 and 2006, we collected 1386 fecal samples from 32 adult, semi-free-ranging animals of both sexes. In males and non-pregnant, non-lactating females, fGC concentrations were significantly elevated during the breeding season, specifically during periods surrounding known conceptions. Moreover, group composition (e.g., multi-male versus one-male) significantly predicted the fGC concentrations of males and females in all reproductive states. In particular, the social instability introduced by intra-male competition likely created a stressor for all animals. We found no relationship, however, between fGC and the sex, age, or heterozygosity of animals. In reproducing females, fGC concentrations were significantly greater during lactation than during the pre-breeding period. During pregnancy, fGC concentrations were elevated in mid-ranking dams, relative to dominant or subordinate dams, and significantly greater during the third trimester than during the first or second trimesters. Thus, in the absence of nutritional stressors, social dominance was a relatively poor predictor of fGC in this female-dominant species. Instead, the animals were maximally challenged by their social circumstances and reproductive events—males by competition for mating opportunities and females by late-term gestation and lactation.     

Haltung und Zucht der Geißelspinne (Damon variegatus) (Phrynichidae) (Chelicerata: Amblypygi)

In the temporary carboniferous hall of „GONDWANA - Das Prähistorium“ in Germany, whip spiders (Damon variegatus) were kept and bred. 3,3 were purchased from a dealer in summer 2007. The night active spiders were kept together in a terrarium. No aggresions were observed. The animals were fed little locusts, young hissing cockroaches, and crickets. In 2008 courtship display and mating could be observed. The biggest male was the only active one. After 7 days after the intake of the spermatophores all females carried eggsacs under the ophistosoma. Each egg sack contained approximately 25-30 eggs. During the carrying phase only one female feasted on a cricket. 98 days after the egg sack was produced the young spiderlings hatched. The coloration of the spiderlings was completely different from the coloration of the adults. The spiderlings were carried by the female for the next 9 days. Then, the spiderlings moulted and left the female immediately. The adults were now separated from their young. The three groups of spiderlings stayed together in a smaller terrarium. However, each group from each female stayed separate from the others for weeks. The second moulting took place 41 days after the first one. No cannibalism was observed. Obviously Damon variegatus seems to be a spider with a social touch. If the terrarium and the climate conditions inside are adapted to the needs of the whip spiders keeping and breeding is possible. The species is highly attractive to visitors.     

Extension of the breeding season and its effects on fertilization and development in two species of lugworm (Arenicola marina and A. defodiens)

In the autumn/winter breeding polychaetes, Arenicola marina and A. defodiens, spawning can be advanced or delayed by a number of months through temperature manipulation of the adults. However, this manipulation may have significant consequences for fertilization rates and embryo developmental success and so in vitro fertilizations were performed to assess the impact of manipulation. Firstly, we used oocytes and sperm obtained from advanced or delayed individuals. For both species, using gametes from 4 weeks advanced individuals did not result in a significant reduction in development, however, gametes from individuals advanced (A. marina only) or delayed by 8 weeks resulted in significantly fewer embryos developing normally. Reciprocal crosses of temperature-manipulated A. marina gametes (from 4 weeks advanced and 4 weeks delayed individuals) with those at the natural spawning time confirmed that the reduction in developmental success in both was attributable to the oocytes. After 5 h post-fertilization, the majority of oocytes from advanced individuals had fertilized, but by 24 h most were abnormal. For fertilizations with gametes from delayed individuals, nearly 100% of the embryos were developing normally after 24 h, but after 144 h significantly more were abnormal in crosses involving oocytes from delayed females. Although both species have reproductive plasticity to extend their breeding season, the significant reduction in the numbers of competent larvae produced as the spawning is delayed or advanced further may be a significant bottleneck in aquaculture and it may also have considerable implications for the long-term reproductive success of a population in response to environmental change.Sympatric populations of the species exist in many locations and the inherent variability in the breeding seasons could allow spawning times to overlap. Artificially delaying A. marina individuals enabled fertilizations to be performed with A. defodiens at the natural spawning time in the laboratory. Both conspecific fertilizations produced 100% trochophore larvae after 120 h, but A. defodiens oocytes failed to fertilize after incubation with A. marina sperm, in comparison to the A. marina oocytes incubated with A. defodiens sperm where 40% developed to the trochophore stage. This asymmetric gamete incompatibility may be one of a suite of mechanisms to minimise hybridisation.     

圈养马来熊行为节律和时间分配的季节变化

2009年3－12月,分春、夏、秋、冬4个季节,采用人工观察和红外摄像记录观察2种方式,对上海动物园的圈养马来熊进行行为学研究。建立的行为谱包括休息、走动、踱步、乞食、采食、爬树、探寻、擦痒、玩耍、追逐、嗅闻、示警、打斗、爬跨、舔阴、交配和排泄,将相关行为合并后归纳成6类,即休息、运动、乞食、刻板、社群和其他行为。马来熊用于休息的时间最多,其次是运动和乞食行为。各行为具有不同程度的季节性差异,运动行为（F=62.748,P<0.001）和社群行为（F=26.041,P<0.001）季节性差异极显著,刻板行为（F=4.667,P<0.05）差异显著,休息行为（F=1.857,P>0.05）和乞食行为（F=1.180,P>0.05）差异不显著。圈养马来熊具有明显的日活动节律,00:00－5:00和20:00－24:00是马来熊的休息高峰,6:00开始活动量增大,8:00－9:00是马来熊的正常进食高峰,同时,运动、乞食、社群等行为逐渐增多,乞食行为集中在运动场10:00－15:00游客多的时段。18:00之后运动逐渐减少,进入休息状态。春夏昼间行为比较,运动和刻板行为（P<0.05）差异显著。年龄因素,春季对休息、运动和刻板行为影响特别显著（P<0.001）,社群和乞食行为的影响显著（P<0.05）,夏季对乞食行为影响特别显著（P<0.001）,运动、刻板和社群行为影响显著（P<0.05）。性别因素,春季对社群行为影响极显著（P<0.001）,休息、乞食和其他行为影响显著（P<0.05）,夏季只对社群行为影响显著（P<0.05）。秋冬间各行为差异不显著,室内和运动场的行为对比表明,刻板和休息多在室内,运动行为多在运动场,室内和运动场秋季的运动行为和社群行为差异显著（P<0.05）,冬季的刻板行为差异极显著（P<0.001）。     

The effect of social isolation on androgen and corticosteroid levels in a cichlid fish (Haplochromis burtoni) and in swordtails (Xiphophorus helleri)

The blood androgen and glucocorticoid levels of male Haplochromis burtoni and Xiphophorus helleri were measured in socially isolated individuals (8 and 4 weeks, respectively) and nonisolated controls. In both species social isolation leads to significant reductions of mean concentrations and variances, both for androgens and corticosteroids. It is known for H. burtoni—and new evidence for X. helleri is presented—that social isolation reduces aggressivity in nonescalating situations. It is proposed that social stimuli in both species stimulate the testes to produce more androgenic hormones, and that this can lead to higher levels of aggression. At least in tropical fish species the androgenic optimum for defending a territory or a social status may be much more controlled by social stimuli than previously realized.     

Hybridization of Australian Haemonchus placei (place, 1893), Haemonchus contortus cayugensis (Das & Whitlock, 1960) and Haemonchus contortus (Rudolphi, 1803) from Louisiana

There were distinct ecotypie differences in the ability to develop to third stage larvae at a constant 11 or 13°C for two weeks. H. conforms cayugensis could develop at both 11 and 13°C; H. contortus from Louisiana could develop at 13°C but not 11°C and H. placei could not complete development at either temperature. Eggs produced from the first cross between ecotypes had the same cold tolerance as their maternal parent. F₁ eggs were intermediate between parental ecotypes, while F₂ eggs, when fertile, developed at the same temperature as the most cold-tolerant parent in the first cross. The H. placei knobbed vulvar morph type was dominant to H. contortus cayugensis smooth morph type and recessive to the H. contortus (Louisiana) smooth morph type. Knobbed morph type of H. contortus (Louisiana) was dominant to smooth of H. contortus cayugensis. Dominance of morph type was enhanced by a matroclinous effect in the between species matings but not in the within species matings. No fertile eggs were produced by the F1 of the mating between female H. placei × male H. contortus (Louisiana) or by the F₂ of the reciprocal mating. Reciprocal matings between H. placei × H. contortus cayugensis produced an F₁ and F₂ that had reduced fertility but were not completely sterile. No decrease in fertility was observed in the F₂ and F₁ from the H. contortus cayugensis × H. contortus(Louisiana)matings. Cytological studies revealed several kinds of meiotic disturbances in the between species F₁ and F₂. The most frequent were aneuploidy, failure of chromosome pairing, and pairing between non-homologous chromosomes. Males were more seriously affected than females by meiotic disturbances. The H. placei X chromosome appeared to be selected against by the hybrid genetic background. Within species hybrids showed no meiotic disturbances and the percentage of male offspring from these crosses was the same as for female offspring.