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Intraspecific colour preference in mate choice by female Apistogramma cacatuoides HOEDEMAN, 1951 (Teleostei: Perciformes: Cichlidae)

2010; Pensoft Publishers; Volume: 60; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.3897/vz.60.e31012

2625-8498

Bernd Engelking, Uwe Römer, Wolfgang Beisenherz,

Fish Biology and Ecology Studies

In mate-choice experiments females of the Neotropical cichlid Apistogramma cacatuoides unerringly differentiate between males of different populations and a red aquarium strain. Females use male colour traits to choose their mates. The preference of wild females for red-coloured males varies from 3 % to 69 % dependent on geographical origin, whereas aquarium-strain females prefer their own bright-coloured males in about 90 % of cases. The preferences of wild females show signifi cant differences depending on their origin and following a geographical gradient. The high degree of stability in assortative mating behaviour in female A. cacatuoides may indicate incipient speciation processes.