Social Behavior of the Desert Pupfish, Cyprinodon macularius, in the Field and in the Aquarium
1961; University of Notre Dame; Volume: 65; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.2307/2422959
ISSN1938-4238
Autores Tópico(s)Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species
ResumoA glossary of the motor patterns of the desert pupfish is given. Reproductive, territorial and group behavior is analyzed in detail. During the breeding season the female visits the territorial male; rarely, males leave their territories and pursue the females in order to spawn with them. When approached by the male, the female nips the bottom, the male sidles against her, she halts and forms an S-shape, the male S-shapes along side the female and wraps his anal fin around her vent, she jerks releasing an egg, the male jerks fertilizing the egg, and the pair separates. In a fully developed fight two males approach head on, turn away slightly and stand momentarily eye to eye, advance and arch, give tailbeats, charge at one another, and finally circle head to tail rapidly around one another before separating. During the spawning season males hold territories, and these sometimes contain sub-territories along the periphery which are held by smaller males. Females were never seen to hold territories under natural conditions. Female and juvenile pupfish move about in schools and forage in groups. In the cold season the males join the schools.
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