Juvenile survival in a unisexual/sexual complex of mollies |
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Authors: | Clark Hubbs Ingo Schlupp |
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Institution: | (1) Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA;(2) Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA |
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Abstract: | Unisexual species like the gynogenetic Amazon molly, Poecilia formosa, enjoy a twofold advantage over sexual species, because they do not produce males. Therefore, unisexuals should be able to
outcompete and consequently, replace sexual species. For sperm-dependent (gynogenetic) unisexuals this creates a paradox:
they cannot replace their sexual hosts without eradicating themselves. Thus, mechanisms must be in place to stabilize such
mating systems. We assessed juvenile survivorship between asexual P. formosa and sexual Poecilia latipinna as a possible factor allowing for persistence and coexistence between the two sympatric species. Offspring of gynogenetic
Amazon mollies did not differ significantly in survivorship compared to their sexual host, the Sailfin molly, P. latipinna. The presence of an adult female significantly reduced survival in both species, suggesting that filial cannibalisms operates
in this system, but does not appear to play a role in stabilizing mixed sexual/asexual populations.
Clark Hubbs, who spent 59 years at the University of Texas and was widely regarded as one of the state’s foremost researchers
in the field of ichthyology, the study of fish, passed away February 3rd of 2008 after a long battle with colorectal cancer.
He was 86. |
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Keywords: | Filial cannibalism Survival rates Amazon mollies Sailfin mollies Poecilia formosa Poecilia latipinna Gynogenesis |
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