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The Relationship Between the Presence of Satellite Males and Nest-Holders' Mating Success in the Azorean Rock-Pool Blenny Parablennius sanguinolentus parvicornis.
- Source :
-
Ethology . Mar2002, Vol. 108 Issue 3, p223-235. 13p. - Publication Year :
- 2002
-
Abstract
- In the Azorean rock-pool blenny, sexually active males may adopt alternative reproductive tactics. In the present paper the relationship between the presence of satellite males and the reproductive success of nest-holders was investigated by comparing nests with and without an associated satellite male. Males with an associated satellite male suffered more conspecific intrusions but they did not display a higher frequency of attacks towards conspecifics. Nest-holder males were more aggressive towards other conspecifics than towards satellites and the tolerance of nest-holders towards satellites was inversely correlated with the time spent by the satellites in the breeding territory, which suggests control by the nest-holder male of the satellite investment in shared territorial defence. Nest-holders with an associated satellite male had higher condition factors and received more female visits and more spawnings. These results bear two possible interpretations. (1) Nest-holders benefit from the presence of a satellite male by increased attractiveness of their nests to females; satellite males are mutualists helping to defend the nest-owner's territory and to attract females, which is why they are tolerated. (2) Satellite males associate preferentially with more successful nest-holder males which have higher condition factors, and by doing so have more opportunities to achieve parasitic fertilizations. Only experiments will allow these two hypotheses to be distinguished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *BLENNIIDAE
*REPRODUCTION
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01791613
- Volume :
- 108
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Ethology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 6354658
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1439-0310.2002.00776.x