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Black spots and female association preferences in a sexual/asexual mating complex ( Poecilia , Poeciliidae, Teleostei)

Tobler, Michael ; Plath, Martin ; Burmeister, Heike ; Schlupp, Ingo

In: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2006, vol. 60, no. 2, p. 159-165

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    Title
    • Black spots and female association preferences in a sexual/asexual mating complex ( Poecilia , Poeciliidae, Teleostei)
    Author
    • Tobler, Michael. Zoologisches Institut, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
    • Plath, Martin. Institut für Biochemie/Biologie, Universität Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
    • Burmeister, Heike. Biozentrum Grindel, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
    • Schlupp, Ingo. Zoologisches Institut, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:313788
    Summary
    We investigated whether female association preferences for males are influenced by black spot disease (BSD), a parasite induced change of the host phenotype. We compared three different species of fish: a gynogenetic hybrid species, Poecilia formosa (amazon molly) and two sexual species (Poecilia latipinna and Poecilia mexicana), which were involved in the natural hybridisation leading to the amazon molly. Contrary to their sexual relatives, asexual amazon mollies significantly avoided images of males infected with black spot disease. We propose that amazon molly females have direct fitness benefits from choosing healthy males. The adaptive significance of the preference for BSD-uninfected males in the asexual amazon molly is yet unclear but may involve avoidance of predation or parasite infection as well as increased sperm availability