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Precopulatory guarding-time of the male amphipod Eogammarus oclairi: effect of population structure

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Abstract

This study shows that population structure affects guarding time in the amphipod Eogammarus oclairi Bousfield. In the laboratory, mean guarding time depended on the male weight-frequency distribution, operational sex ratio, and male density. It was longer when the male population encompassed a broad range of weights than when the weight distribution was narrower; however, guarding time did not differ when the population's weight distribution was narrow and composed of either small or large males. Mean guarding time varied between a few hours when the operational sex ratio (male:female) was 1:3 to>7 d when the sex ratio was 2:1. It was also affected by male density, increasing as male density increased. The results suggest that the stimulus to guard depends on the intensity of male-male competition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departmento de Biologia, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Funes 3250, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina

    O. Iribarne

  2. Departamento de Biologia, C114D (Estacion Las Cruses), Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile

    M. Fernandez

  3. School of Fisheries, WH-10, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, Washington, USA

    O. Iribarne, M. Fernandez & D. Armstrong

Authors
  1. O. Iribarne
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  2. M. Fernandez
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  3. D. Armstrong
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Communicated by N.H. Marcus, Tallahassee

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Iribarne, O., Fernandez, M. & Armstrong, D. Precopulatory guarding-time of the male amphipod Eogammarus oclairi: effect of population structure. Marine Biology 124, 219–223 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00347126

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00347126

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