Presentation Details
| Dominant Male Burton's Mouthbrooder Prefer Bower Entry Sizes Equal to or Greater than Body Length Andrew G.Fulmer, Gabriel Sadongei, Lucas Arnold. Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO |
Abstract
Burton’s Mouthbrooders (Astatotilapia burtoni) are a model system in behavioral neuroscience. Males are described as dominant, transitional, or subordinate based in large part on their acquisition and defense of a territory. Under lab conditions cracked terra cotta pots are used as potential territories, or bowers, which are ornamented by males and used during courtship and spawning behaviors. We investigate preference for bower entrance size based on a paired-choice experiment, in which territorial males are placed in a long tank with a model territory (five unmated females in a ten gallon tank adjacent to the central test arena, along with gravel and artificial plants) and a defensible terra cotta pot in the central test arena. The terra cotta pots have three different sizes of entrance – one larger than the male’s body length, one the same size as the average dominant male body length, and one smaller. Preference was determined by duration of defensive behaviors in front of/inside each of these pots. We find that males exhibit a preference for entry sizes larger than or equal to their own body size.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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