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Male Interactions (male + interaction)
Selected AbstractsEffect of a Dummy Audience on Male,Male Interactions in Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta splendensETHOLOGY, Issue 2 2006Teresa L. Dzieweczynski Recent research on Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens, and other taxa has demonstrated that an audience can cause males to alter their behavior in aggressive interactions. One factor not taken into account in these studies is how exactly the audience influences these interactions. It is possible that a live audience may interact with the subjects, creating an active communication network rather than a signaler,receiver dyad with a passive audience. Here, we used a dummy audience to control for information exchange between the audience and the interactants that might cause them to modify their behavior. Audience treatments included dummies of male and female B. splendens, a dummy cichlid, and a control condition with no audience present. The presence of a dummy audience did not influence male,male interactions. However, males spent the most time near the audience tank when the audience was a dummy of a B. splendens. This suggests that some factor other than the physical presence of the audience is responsible for the modification of behavior found in previous audience effect studies in Siamese fighting fish. However, we cannot rule out definitively that our dummy audience is viewed as unimportant by the opponents and, thus, ignored. Further research is necessary to determine which component of the audience is important for producing audience effects. [source] Methoprene modulates the effect of diet on male melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae, performance at mating aggregationsENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA, Issue 1 2010Ihsan ul Haq Abstract The effect of access to dietary protein (P) (hydrolyzed yeast) and/or treatment with a juvenile hormone analogue, methoprene (M), (in addition to sugar and water) on male aggregation (lekking) behaviour and mating success was studied in a laboratory strain of the melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Six-day-old males were treated with (1) protein and methoprene (M+P+), (2) only protein (M,P+), or (3) only methoprene (M+P,), and compared with 14-day-old sexually mature untreated males (M,P,). The lekking behaviour of the four groups of males when competing for virgin sexually mature females (14,,16 days old) was observed in field cages. The following parameters were measured at male aggregations: lek initiation, lek participation, males calling, male,male interaction, female acceptance index, and mating success. For all these parameters, the M+P+ males significantly outperformed the other males. Moreover, for all parameters, there was a similar trend with M+P+ > M,P+ > M,P, > M+P,. More M+P+ males called and initiated and participated in lek activities than all other types of male, which resulted in higher mating success. They had also fewer unsuccessful copulation attempts than their counterparts. Whereas treatment with methoprene alone had a negative effect in young males with only access to sugar, access to dietary protein alone significantly improved young male sexual performance; moreover, the provision of methoprene together with protein had a synergistic effect, improving further male performance at leks. The results are of great relevance for enhancing the application of the sterile insect technique (SIT) against this pest species. The fact that access to dietary protein and treatment of sterile males with methoprene improves mating success means that SIT cost-effectiveness is increased, as more released males survive to sexual maturity. [source] Effect of a Dummy Audience on Male,Male Interactions in Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta splendensETHOLOGY, Issue 2 2006Teresa L. Dzieweczynski Recent research on Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens, and other taxa has demonstrated that an audience can cause males to alter their behavior in aggressive interactions. One factor not taken into account in these studies is how exactly the audience influences these interactions. It is possible that a live audience may interact with the subjects, creating an active communication network rather than a signaler,receiver dyad with a passive audience. Here, we used a dummy audience to control for information exchange between the audience and the interactants that might cause them to modify their behavior. Audience treatments included dummies of male and female B. splendens, a dummy cichlid, and a control condition with no audience present. The presence of a dummy audience did not influence male,male interactions. However, males spent the most time near the audience tank when the audience was a dummy of a B. splendens. This suggests that some factor other than the physical presence of the audience is responsible for the modification of behavior found in previous audience effect studies in Siamese fighting fish. However, we cannot rule out definitively that our dummy audience is viewed as unimportant by the opponents and, thus, ignored. Further research is necessary to determine which component of the audience is important for producing audience effects. [source] Breeding Tubercles, Papillomatosis and Dominance Behaviour of Male Roach (Rutilus rutilus) During the Spawning PeriodETHOLOGY, Issue 8 2004Raine Kortet We studied the relationship between the breeding tubercle ornamentation (i.e. skin roughness) and male pre-spawning dominance and courtship behaviour in roach (Rutilus rutilus) within an experimental laboratory system. Sexually mature fish were caught during their migration to their spawning pond and their behaviours were studied in an artificial spawning arena. Males behaved naturally both in terms of male,male interactions and attempts to achieve spawnings. Males having many, large breeding tubercles (i.e. rough skin) were significantly more often dominant in our dyadic trials than those with smooth skin. The dominant male in the trial exhibited a more active courtship behaviour than its subordinate rival. Papilloma skin disease did not affect the dominance rank. As a result of the relationship between skin roughness and male dominance, breeding tubercles may be used by the females as a cue for choosing a high-quality mate in a roach lek. Thus, breeding tubercles might offer a workable tool for examination of sexual selection among cyprinids. [source] Song similarity predicts hybridization in flycatchersJOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2006A. QVARNSTRÖM Abstract Given that population divergence in sexual signals is an important prerequisite for reproductive isolation, a key prediction is that cases of signal convergence should lead to hybridization. However, empirical studies that quantitatively demonstrate links between phenotypic characters of individuals and their likelihood to hybridize are rare. Here we show that song convergence between sympatric pied (Ficedula hypoleuca) and collared flycatchers (F. albicollis) influence social and sexual interactions between the two species. In sympatry, the majority of male pied flycatchers (65%) include various parts of collared flycatcher song in their song repertoire (but not vice versa). Playback experiments on male interactions demonstrate that male collared flycatchers respond similarly to this ,mixed' song as to conspecific song. Long-term data on pairing patterns show that males singing a converged song attract females of the other species: female collared flycatchers only pair with male pied flycatchers if the males sing the mixed song type. From the perspective of a male pied flycatcher, singing a mixed song type is associated with 30% likelihood of hybridization. This result, combined with our estimates of the frequency of mixed singers, accurately predicts the observed occurrence of hybridization among male pied flycatchers in our study populations (20.45% of 484 pairs; predicted 19.5%). Our results support the suggestion that song functions as the most important prezygotic isolation mechanism in many birds. [source] The effect of anthropogenic habitat usage on the social behaviour of a vulnerable species, Cyclura nubilaANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 1 2003Kathryn E. Lacy With the increasing human population world-wide, animals and humans are sharing more habitat. In this study, we consider the consequences of this habitat usage overlap on the behaviour patterns and social structure of a threatened species. Specifically, we used focal animal samples to collect data on the Cuban rock iguana, Cyclura nubila, in six field sites. Three of these sites are subject to considerable anthropogenic habitat usage, whereas three are in relatively low anthropogenic usage areas. Individuals in high anthropogenic usage sites were more closely assembled, with more males and females sharing a smaller amount of space. These animals exhibited even more aggressive behaviour and social interactions than expected when taking into account the larger number of possible interactants. High anthropogenic usage sites also had more male,male interactions and fewer males interacting with females. We suggest that social and mating system changes have occurred. Ramifications of these recent changes in the behavioural repertoires on the long-term survival of the species are discussed. [source] | ||||||||||