TY - JOUR
T1 - Black male bellies and red female throats
T2 - Color changes with breeding status in a threespine stickleback
AU - Von Hippel, Frank A.
N1 - Funding Information:
I thank my major professors George Barlow and Thelma Rowell for their guidance throughout this project. I also thank Deborah McLennan for making extensive and important editorial suggestions, and Roy Caldwell, Wayne Getz, Bill von Hippel, and Ron Coleman for making helpful comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript. Bill von Hippel, Cathy von Hippel, and Sean Sterling provided statistical help. Cathy von Hippel and Ramona Swenson were of invaluable assistance in the field, and Ron Coleman, Ramona Swenson, and Jason Shulterbrandt helped me set up my experiment. Claire Chu ran histological samples for me in Marvelee Wake’s laboratory, and Collette St. Mary helped me to interpret the results. Bill von Hippel, Brisbane Tropical, Howie Clark, and Derek Maskell helped provide me with equipment. Permission to collect fish was granted by the State of California Department of Fish and Game (Scientific Collector’s Permit no. 6014) and the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation. Permission to conduct experiments was granted by the University of California Animal Care and Use Committee (Protocol no. R050-0793). This research was supported by a Harry S. Truman National Scholarship, a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, a University of California Provost’s Research Fund Award, and a University of California Research Task Assistant Stipend.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - This paper provides the first report of black nuptial coloration on the ventral side for a population of threespine sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, in Northern California. Black nuptial coloration was least intense during precourtship. Although the black coloration intensified during courtship, it was not a significant predictor of female choice and, unlike the red throat and blue eyes, was not inversely correlated with the number of female introductions necessary before spawning occurred. Black coloration was the most intense for males who successfully hatched embryos, supporting a parental-defense role late in the cycle. Unsuccessful fathers had more intensely colored red throats, blue eyes, and black bellies during most of the reproductive cycle than successful fathers. Some females in this study developed red coloration on their throat, although none to the intensity or distribution typical of a breeding male.
AB - This paper provides the first report of black nuptial coloration on the ventral side for a population of threespine sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, in Northern California. Black nuptial coloration was least intense during precourtship. Although the black coloration intensified during courtship, it was not a significant predictor of female choice and, unlike the red throat and blue eyes, was not inversely correlated with the number of female introductions necessary before spawning occurred. Black coloration was the most intense for males who successfully hatched embryos, supporting a parental-defense role late in the cycle. Unsuccessful fathers had more intensely colored red throats, blue eyes, and black bellies during most of the reproductive cycle than successful fathers. Some females in this study developed red coloration on their throat, although none to the intensity or distribution typical of a breeding male.
KW - Black nuptial coloration
KW - Female coloration
KW - Fish
KW - Gasterosteus aculeatus
KW - Parental success
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U2 - 10.1023/A:1007572620424
DO - 10.1023/A:1007572620424
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0033061515
VL - 55
SP - 237
EP - 244
JO - Environmental Biology of Fishes
JF - Environmental Biology of Fishes
SN - 0378-1909
IS - 3
ER -