Mothers adjust egg size to helper number in a cooperatively breeding cichlid
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چکیده
منابع مشابه
Mothers adjust egg size to helper number in a cooperatively breeding cichlid
Mothers should adjust the size of propagules to the selective forces to which these offspring will be exposed. Usually, a larger propagule size is favored when young are exposed to high mortality risk or conspecific competition. Here we test 2 predictions on how egg size should vary with these selective agents. When offspring are cared for by parents and/or alloparents, protection may reduce th...
متن کاملExperimental evidence for helper effects in a cooperatively breeding cichlid
Neolamprologus pulcher is a cooperatively breeding cichlid fish, in which helpers stay in their natal territory and help with brood care, territory defense, and maintenance. In this study we investigated helper effects by an experimental group size reduction in the field. After this manipulation, focal helpers in reduced groups tended to feed less, and small helpers visited the breeding shelter...
متن کاملHelper Response to Experimentally Manipulated Predation Risk in the Cooperatively Breeding Cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher
BACKGROUND We manipulated predation risk in a field experiment with the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher by releasing no predator, a medium- or a large-sized fish predator inside underwater cages enclosing two to three natural groups. We assessed whether helpers changed their helping behaviour, and whether within-group conflict changed, depending on these treatments, testin...
متن کاملPredation risk is an ecological constraint for helper dispersal in a cooperatively breeding cichlid.
Environmental conditions are thought to be responsible for the extent and benefits of cooperative breeding in many animal societies, but experimental tests are scarce. We manipulated predator pressure in the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher in Lake Tanganyika, where predators have been suggested to influence helper and breeder survival, helper dispersal and group reproducti...
متن کاملSize differences within a dominance hierarchy influence conflict and help in a cooperatively breeding cichlid
In size-structured groups, conflict over rank, resources or access to breeding opportunities is expected to be greatest among individuals that are similar in size. We tested this general prediction using the cooperatively breeding African cichlid, Neolamprologus pulcher. We predicted that, when size differences between group members were small, we would observe some or all of: increased aggress...
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ژورنال
عنوان ژورنال: Behavioral Ecology
سال: 2007
ISSN: 1045-2249,1465-7279
DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arm026