How to quantify embryo survival in nest‐building fishes, exemplified with three‐spined sticklebacks

Kraak, Sarah; Bakker, Theo C. M.; Mundwiler, Beat

doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.1997.tb01141.x

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 5 publications

(6 reference statements)

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“…In all cases, the male accepted the nest and repaired the entrance and any other parts of the nest that had been damaged. This procedure has no significant influence on egg survival (Kraak et al 1997). The two measures of egg mass, the change in female weight and the weight of the egg mass, were highly correlated (r 28 =0.95, P<0.000).…”

Section: Experiments 1: Single Malesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Increased signalling effort when survival prospects decrease: male–male competition ensures honesty

Candolin

2000

Animal Behaviour

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Section: Experiments 1: Single Malesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Increased signalling effort when survival prospects decrease: male–male competition ensures honesty

Candolin

2000

Animal Behaviour

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“…Developmental stages of the embryos were translated into age in days by using data from the developmental rate of separate eggs in July 1995 that were enclosed in teaballs made of metal mesh in the channel (Kraak et al, 1997). The tea-balls were fixed to the walls of the channel just under the water surface, and embryos checked daily for development.…”

Section: Assumptions and Data Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Broods of attractive three‐spined stickleback males require greater paternal care

Bakker

Mazzi

Kraak

2006

Journal of Fish Biology

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The relationship between egg number and survival in nests of three-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus was tested in the field. Nests were deprived of paternal care during a variable period by removal of the father while preventing egg predation by protection of the nest by a net. Upon male removal, a number of male traits were quantified. Nest-content variables and embryo survival were assessed at the end of the deprivation period. Proportional egg mortality was significantly positively correlated with the length of the deprivation period, the number of eggs present in the nest and egg size, thus suggesting that nests with more and larger eggs need more paternal care. Males with the most symmetrical ventral spines achieved the highest reproductive success as measured by the number of eggs in the nest. In addition, their nests contained relatively larger eggs. Spine length symmetry correlated with the blue intensity of the eye thus giving females several cues to assess male quality.

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“…The number of eggs in each nest before and after the manipulation did not differ significantly (Wilcoxon test, n ¼ 82, z ¼ 0.113, p ¼ 0.910, average difference equals 0.3 eggs per exchange). To be able to distinguish the eggs of different females, either foreign or own eggs, in alternated order between experiments, were dyed slightly blue by placing them in a solution of Alcian blue (2 g 100 ml 21 ) for 30 min (Kraak et al 1997). In several previous studies, this method did not influence egg survival or cannibalistic behaviour (Kraak et al 1997(Kraak et al , 1999aFrommen et al 2007).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

To eat or not to eat: egg-based assessment of paternity triggers fine-tuned decisions about filial cannibalism

et al. 2010

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Filial cannibalism occurs in many animal species ranging from insects to mammals, and is especially well described in teleost fishes. Numerous causes may lead to this behaviour, e.g. certainty of paternity. However, the cues males use to assess their paternity often remain unknown. One possible way to differentiate between own and foreign offspring is by using egg cues. Nevertheless, in egg-laying species, evidence for this is still scarce. In this study, male three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), a fish with paternal care in which sneaking as well as filial cannibalism is common, were allowed to care for manipulated nests that contained different percentages of own fertilized eggs. After 7 days, embryo survival was determined. Furthermore, brood-caring as well as aggressive behaviour was measured daily. Clutches containing a higher proportion of foreign eggs were more likely to be completely cannibalized than clutches containing a lower proportion of foreign eggs, particularly when the clutch was laid early in the breeding season. However, the behavioural observations revealed no influence of paternity. The results show that paternity triggers filial cannibalism in sticklebacks and that males are able to evaluate their paternity using egg cues alone.

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How to quantify embryo survival in nest‐building fishes, exemplified with three‐spined sticklebacks

Abstract: Egg survival in manipulated nests of three-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus in the field was not significantly different from that in unmanipulated nests.

Cited by 13 publications

References 5 publications

Increased signalling effort when survival prospects decrease: male–male competition ensures honesty

Increased signalling effort when survival prospects decrease: male–male competition ensures honesty

Broods of attractive three‐spined stickleback males require greater paternal care

To eat or not to eat: egg-based assessment of paternity triggers fine-tuned decisions about filial cannibalism

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