Plasticity in courtship and sneaking behaviors depending on tail length in the male guppy, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Poecilia reticulata</Emphasis> |
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Authors: | Kenji Karino Noriko Kamada |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, Tokyo Gakugei University, 4-1-1 Nukui-kita, Koganei Tokyo, 184-8501, Japan |
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Abstract: | Male guppies Poecilia reticulata exhibit two types of mating behavior, i.e., courtship displays for cooperative copulation and sneaking attempts for forced
copulation. The frequencies of the two male mating behaviors are influenced by tail length. Males possessing long tails exhibit
courtship displays less frequently and sneaking attempts more frequently than those possessing short tails, even though they
have similar total lengths. To examine whether these male behavioral tendencies depending on tail length are genetically controlled
or are determined by tail length per se, tail length manipulation was conducted. The tail lengths of males that had previously
possessed longer tails were surgically shortened to a greater degree than those of their counterparts that had previously
possessed shorter tails. Although the frequencies of the mating behaviors exhibited by the latter males did not apparently
change, the former males clearly increased the frequency of courtship displays and decreased that of sneaking attempts following
tail shortening. These results indicate that males adjust the frequencies of the two mating behaviors according to their tail
length. Since females avoid cooperative mating with males possessing long tails, the change in mating behavioral patterns
by males depending on their tail length may increase their mating opportunities. |
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Keywords: | Alternative mating behavior Courtship displays Sneaking behavior Poecilia reticulata |
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