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- Title
Do monogamous male and female Texas Cichlid parents defend their offspring similarly?
- Authors
SNEKSER, JENNIFER L.; AL-SHAER, LAYLA; BLOCH, ANDREW; ITZKOWITZ, M.
- Abstract
Biparental care involves both parents contributing to offspring, though each parent does not necessarily contribute equally or in the same manner. While offspring benefit from parental care, sexual conflict arises within parental pairs because each sex would benefit from a partner’s greater contribution to the young. Nevertheless, each parent may be better suited or have preferences for the type and intensity of care they provide. Here, we examined parental pairs of Texas Cichlids in a naturally occurring population in southwest Texas as they defended their free-swimming fry against potential conspecific and heterospecific predators. Sex differences were apparent, with females generally directing higher levels of aggression at intruding fishes and males spending more time away from the brood of fry. Although parents performed the same activities, they exhibited these activities with different durations and frequencies, with the result that the male parents spent less time with the fry and chased fewer intruders.
- Publication
Western North American Naturalist, 2023, Vol 83, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
1527-0904
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3398/064.083.0101