Abstract
A large body of research has developed on male ornaments and their role in sexual selection while female ornaments have been less investigated. This study focused on the presence, function, and possible role of a sexually dimorphic nuptial trait as an indicator of female quality in a fish species presenting “conventional” sex roles: the yellow patch on the belly of Knipowitschia panizzae females. Aquarium spawning experiments demonstrated that this ornament is due to dermal pigments, is displayed only when the female is ready to spawn, and is switched off within minutes from the end of egg deposition. This sexual trait is variable in size among females and indicates female fecundity relative to her own body size. As a consequence, female yellow belly appears to be a reliable indicator of female quality as measured by current fecundity. Field data on natural nests highlights that males usually perform parental care on only one egg batch at a time. The modality of egg deposition suggests that males may be limited in their potential reproductive rates by environmental factors. Male limitations in egg care could favour male choosiness and the evolution of female nuptial displays.
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Acknowledgements
We wish to thank Andrea Pilastro for his help in the different steps of this study and, together with Chris Petersen, for the review of the manuscript. This research was financially supported by grants from M.U.R.S.T. (Italian Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica) and was conducted at the Stazione Idrobiologica (Chioggia), University of Padova, whose staff we wish to thank. Animal collection, housing, and experimental procedures are in accordance with current Italian laws.
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Communicated by R. Cattaneo-Vietti, Genova
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Massironi, M., Rasotto, M.B. & Mazzoldi, C. A reliable indicator of female fecundity: the case of the yellow belly in Knipowitschia panizzae (Teleostei: Gobiidae). Marine Biology 147, 71–76 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-004-1549-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-004-1549-6