The effect of nest aggregation on the reproductive behaviour of the peacock blenny Salaria pavo |
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Authors: | J L Saraiva † E N Barata ‡§ A V M Canário ‡ and R F Oliveira |
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Institution: | Unidade de Investigação em Eco-Etologia, Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada. Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal; , CCMAR-CIMAR Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; and Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Évora, Largo dos Colegiais 2, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal |
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Abstract: | The effect of nest aggregation in courtship behaviour was tested experimentally in an ecologically constrained, sex-role reversed population of the peacock blenny Salaria pavo . Mixed sex groups of eight males and eight females were tested in experimental tanks, containing eight potential nests either aggregated or dispersed. In the aggregated treatment, males spent more time inside their nests and monopolized other potential nests, causing a female-biased operational sex ratio (OSR). In the aggregated treatment, females also expressed more courtship behaviour. The results in general support the prediction that the aggregation of nests promotes male monopolization of potential nests, resulting in fewer nest-holding males and therefore a female-biased OSR that leads to the reversal of sex roles. |
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Keywords: | operational sex ratio resource monopolization Ria Formosa sex roles |
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