A novel, sexually selected trait in poeciliid fishes: female preference for mustache-like, rostral filaments in male Poecilia sphenops |
| |
Authors: | Ingo Schlupp Rüdiger Riesch Michael Tobler Martin Plath Jakob Parzefall Manfred Schartl |
| |
Affiliation: | 1. Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK, 73019, USA 2. Biozentrum Grindel, University of Hamburg, 20146, Hamburg, Germany 3. Departments of Biology and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, 2258 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77840, USA 4. Department of Ecology and Evolution, J.W. Goethe University of Frankfurt, Siesmayerstr. 70a, 60054, Frankfurt a.M., Germany 5. Physiological Chemistry I, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
|
| |
Abstract: | Female choice can often drive the elaboration of male traits, leading to the evolution of secondary sexual traits. In the Mexican molly, Poecilia sphenops (Poeciliidae), some males exhibit a mustache-like structure on the upper maxilla, the function of which has not been previously recognized. The mustache consists of epidermal outgrowths at the edge of the scales that appear to have no sensory function. Trait expression varies within as well as among populations of P. sphenops, but is not linked to male body size polymorphism. In mate choice experiments, female P. sphenops exhibited a visual mating preference for males with mustaches, suggesting that the trait may be sexually selected. Since the mating behavior of P. sphenops involves contact of the male’s snout and the female genital region prior to copulation, we hypothesize that the mustache may also convey tactile signals to the female. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|