Cogprints

Social organization of  small heterosexual groups of  Green swordtails  (Xiphophorus helleri, Pisces, Poeciliidae) under conditions of captivity

Beaugrand, Jacques P. and Caron, Jean and Comeau, Louise (1984) Social organization of  small heterosexual groups of  Green swordtails  (Xiphophorus helleri, Pisces, Poeciliidae) under conditions of captivity. [Journal (Paginated)]

Full text available as:

[img] PDF
886Kb

Abstract

Sixteen populations, each of four male and four female green 'swordtail fish, were ob­served in 54 litre tanks separated into two unequal volumes by a partition allowing swim­ming from one area to another only at the surface. Each population was observed on 2 4 occasions, making a combined total of 50 observation periods of 2 hours each. Chase right orders, spatial positions as well as several agonistic and epigamic behaviour units were noted during each period of observation. Males and females apparently form distinct hierarchies which are perfectly linear and transitive in 68% and 42% of the cases respec­tively. Some dominance structures are incomplete, but no intransitivity is noted. Alpha males are much more aggressive than their isosexual subordinates. In females, the fre­quency of aggressive behaviour appears to be more proportional to the social rank of the initiator, but the number of chases received from other females is the best indicator of rank in the female hierarchies. Alpha males are responsible for 80% of all sexual activity and have privilege to behaviour leading to insemination with a high probability in 85 % of the cases. Females are not courted according to their position in the female hierarchy, nor to their size. In the two compartment situation of the present study, which allowed spacing out and visual isolation of the individuals, the alpha males occupied the larger area of the aquarium in the company of the four females while the three subordinate males were restricted to the smaller area, unaccompanied by any females. This spacing out pat­tern emerged with neat regularity from the data and was apparently caused and main­tained by aggressive behaviour, especially by charges, initiated by the alpha male toward male rivals. However, it is not evident that the behaviour of the alpha male should be neatly qualified as territorial defence, since specific area linked dominance was never realized in the present study. The social scheme most readily applicable to the present social and spatial organization is the "one male to several females" system or monar­chistic male hierarchy, in which one male becomes very dominant over the others, oc­cupies the larger area and is also the sole individual to court the females and to attempt in­semination (haremic). These results support the sociobiological theorem that to dominate is to have priority of access to the necessities of life and reproduction.

Item Type:Journal (Paginated)
Keywords:social organization, Xiphophorus helleri, dominance, space use, harem
Subjects:Biology > Animal Behavior
Biology > Behavioral Biology
Biology > Ethology
Psychology > Comparative Psychology
ID Code:1970
Deposited By: Beaugrand, Jacques
Deposited On:08 Dec 2001
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:54

References in Article

Select the SEEK icon to attempt to find the referenced article. If it does not appear to be in cogprints you will be forwarded to the paracite service. Poorly formated references will probably not work.

Baerends, G.P., Brouwer, R. & Waterbolk, H.T.S. (1955). Ethological studies on Lebistes reticulatus (Peters) I. An analysis of the male courtship pattern.  Behaviour 8,  249 334.

Baird, R.C. (1968). Aggressive behaviour and social organization in Mollienesia lati­pinna LeSueur.  Texas J. Science 20, 157 176.

Barlow, G.W. (1968). Ethological units of behaviour.  In: The central nervous system and fish behaviour (D. Ingle, ed.). Chicago (Chicago Univ. Press).

Beaugrand, J.P. & Zayan, R. (1985). An experimental model of aggressive domi­nance in Xiphophorus helleri (Pisces: Poeciliidae).  Behavioural Processes, 10, 1-52.

Boer, J.N. De & Heuts, B.A. (1973). Prior exposure to visual cues affecting dominance in the Jewell fish, Hemichromis bimaculatus (Pisces, Cichlidae). Behaviour 44, 299 321.

Braddock, J.C. (1945). Some aspects of the dominance subordination relationship in the fish Platypoecilus maculatus. Physiol. Zoo]. 18,  176 195.

Braddock, J.C.  (1949). The effect of prior residence upon the dominance in the fish Platyfioecilus maculatus. Physiol. Zool. 22,  161 169.

Braddock, J.C.  & Braddock, Z.I. (1955). Aggressive behaviour among females of Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens. Physiol. Zool. 28,  152 172.

Bunge, M. (1979). Treatise on basic philosophy. Vol. 4. Ontology II: A world of systems. Dordrecht, Holland (D. Reidel Pub.).

Bunge, M.  (1980). The mind body problem. A psychobiological approach. Toronto (Per­gamon Press).

Caldwell, M.C. & Caldwell, O.K. (1962). Monarchistic dominance in small groups of captive small mosquitofishes Gambusia affinis patruelis. Bull. South. Calif. Acad. Sci. 61, 37 43.

Cayron, G. (1973). Facteurs déterminants 1'apparition des comportements agressifs et 1'établissement d’une dominance chez les poissons. Unpublished Mémoire de Licence en Psychologie, Université de Louvain (Belgique).

Clark, E. & Aronson, L.R. (1951). Sexual behavior of the guppy.  Zoologica 36,  49 66.

Clark, E.  & Gordon, M. (1954). Mating behavior patterns in two sympatric species of Xiphophorin fishes: their inheritance and significance in sexual isolation. Bull. American Mus. Nat. Hist. 103, 138 234.

Collias, N.E. (1944). Aggressive behavior among vertebrate animals. Physiol. Zool. 17, 83 123.

CROW, R.T. & Liley, N.R. (1979). A sexual pheromone in the guppy, Poecilia reticulala (Peters). Can. J. Zool. 57, 184 188.

Dawkins, R. (1976). Hierarchical organisation: a candidate principle for ethology. In: Growing points in ethology (P.P.G. Bateson & R.A. Hinde, eds). Cambridge (Cambridge University Press).

Dingle, H. (1969). A statistical and information analysis of aggressive communication in the mantis shrimp Gonadactylus bredini Manning. Anim. Behav. 17, p. 561 675.

Downhower, J.F. & Brown, L. (1981). The timing of reproduction and its behavioral consequences for mottled sculpins, Coltus bairdi. In: Natural selection and social behaviour (R.D. Alexander & D.W. Tinkle, eds). New York (Chiron Press).

FARR, J.A. (1980). Social behavor patterns as determinants of reproductive success in the guppy, Poecilia reliculata Peters (Pisces: Poeciliidae). Behaviour 74, 38 91.

Franck, D. (1964). Vergleichende Verhaltensstudien an lebendgebarenden Zahnkarpfen der Gattung Xiphophorus. Zool. Jahr. allgem. Zool. & Physiol. 71, 117 170.

Franck, D. (1968). Weitere Untersuchungen zur vergleichenden Ethologie der Gattung Xiphophorus (Pisces). Behaviour 30, 76 95.

Franck, D. & Goldenbogen, I. (1979). Uber die Funktion der innerartlichen Aggression von Schwerttragern and ihren Einfluss auf die soziale Struktur. Unpubl. document.

Franck, D.  & Hendricks, R. (1973). Zur Frage der biologischen Bedeutung des Schwert­fortsatzes von Xiphophorus helleri. Behaviour 44, 167 185.

Frey, D.F. & Miller, R.J. (1968). Factors influencing the establishment of dominance in anabantoid fishes.  Am. Zool. 8, 749.

George, C. (1960). Behavioral interaction of the pickerel (Esox niger, LeSueur and Esox americanus) and the mosquitofish (Gambusia patruelis).Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Harvard, Cambridge, Mass.

Gorlick, D.L. (1976). Dominance hierarchies and factors influencing dominance in the guppy Poecilia reticulata (Peters). Anim. Behaviour 24, 336 346.

Greenberg, B. (1947). Some relations between territory, social hierarchy, and leadership in the green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus). Physiol. Zool. 20, 267 299.

Hazlett, B.A. & Bossert, W.H. (1965). A statistical analysis of the aggressive com­munications systems of some hermit crabs. Anim. Behav. 13, 357 373.

Hemens, J. (1966). The ethological significance of the sword tail in Xiphophorus helleri (Haeckel). Behaviour 27, 290 315.

Heuts, B.A. (1968). A presumed case of territoriality in poeciliids (Pisces, Cyprinodonti­formes). Rev. Can. Biol. 27, 297 312.

Huck, L.L. & Gunning, G.E. (1967). Behavior of the longear sunfish, Lepomis megalotis (Rafinesque). Tulane Studies Zool. 14, 121 312.

LeBoeuf, B.J. & Peterson, R.S. (1969). Social status and mating activity in elephant seals. Science 163, 91 93.

Liley, L. (1966). Ethological isolating mechanisms in four sympatric species of poeciliid fishes. Behaviour Suppl. 13, 1 197.

Martin, R.G. (1975). Sexual and aggressive behavior, density and social structure in a natural population of mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis holbrooki. Copeia 1975 (3), 445 454.

McKwY, F.E. (1971). Behavioral aspects of population dynamics in unisexual bisexual Poeciliopsis (Pisces, Poeciliidae). Ecology 52, 778 790.

Moore, W.S. & McKay, F.E. (1971). Coexistence in unisexual bisexual species com­plexes of Poeciliopsis (Pisces, Poeciliidae). Ecology 52, 791 799.

Morris, D. (1955). The courtship dance of the mexican sword tail. The Aquarist 19, 247 249.

Morris, D.  (1957). Typical intensity and its relation to the problem of ritualization. Behaviour 11, 1 12.

Murchison, C. (1935). The experimental measurement of a social hierarchy in Gallus domesticus: IV. Loss of body weight under conditions of mild starvation as a function of social dominance. J. Gen. Psychol. 12, 296 312.

Myrberg, A.A. (1971). Social dominance and territoriality in the bicolor damselfish Eupomacenirus partitus (Poey) (Pisces: Pomacentridae). Behaviour 41, 208 231.

Newman, M.A. (1956). Social behavior and infra specific competition in two trout species. Physiol. Zool. 29, 64 81.

Noble, G.K. (1939). The experimental animal from the naturalist's point of view. Amer. Nat. 73, 113 126.

Noble, G.K.  & Borne, R. (1938). The social hierarchy in Xiphophorus and other fishes.  Bul. Ecol. Soc. amer. 19, 14.

Noble, G.K.  & Borne, R.  (1940). The effect of sex hormones in the social hierarchy of Xiphophorus helleri. Anat. Rec. 778, 147.

Noble, G.K. & Curtis, B. (1939). The social behaviour of the jewell fish Hemichromis bima­culatus (Gill).  Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 76, 1 46.

Rowland, W.J. (1982). Mate choice by male sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus. Anim. Behav. 30, p. 1093 1098.??

Schj-Ebbe, T. (1922). Soziale Verhaltnisse bei Vogeln.  Z. Psychol. 90, 106 107.

Tinbergen, N. (1953). Social behaviour in animals. With special reference to vertebrates.  New York (John Wiley).

Thinès, G. & Heuts, B.A. (1968). The effects of submissive experiences on dominance and aggressive behaviour of Xiphophorus (Pisces, Poeciliidae).  Z. Tierpsychol. 25, p. 139 154.

Wickler, W. (1957). Das Verhalten von Xiphophorus maculatus var. Wagtail and ver­wandten Arten.  Z. Tierpsychol. 14, 324 346.

Wilson, E.O. (1975). Sociobiology: the new synthesis. Cambridge, Mass. (Harvard University Press).

Wittenberger, J. F. (1981). Animal social behavior. Boston (Duxbury Press).

Wynne Edwards, V.C. (1962). Animal dispersion in relation to social behaviour. Edinburgh (Oliver & Boyd).??

Young, F. W. (1970). Nonparametric multidimensional scaling: recovery of metric information. Psychometrika 35, 455 473.

Zander, C. D. (1967). Okologische and morphologische Beitrage zur Systematik and geographischen Verbreitung der Gattung Xiphophorus (Pisces).  Mitt. Hamburg Zool. Mus. Inst. 64, 87 125.

Zayan, R. (1974). Le rôle de la reconnaissance individuelle dans la stabilité des relations hiérarchiques chez Xiphophorus (Pisces, Poeciliidae).  Behaviour 49, 268 312.

Zayan, R.  (1975a). Modification des effets liés à la priorité de résidence chez Xiphophorus  (Pisces, Poeciliidae): le rôle de 1'expérience immédiate de dominance et de soumis­sion. Rev. Comp. Anim. 8, 296 311.

Zayan, R.  (1975b). Défense du territoire et reconnaissance individuelle chez Xiphophorus (Pisces, Poeciliidae). Behaviour 52, 266 312.

Zayan, R.  (1975c). Modifications des effets liés à la priorité de résidence chez Xiphophorus (Pisces, Poeciliidae): le rôle des manipulations expérimentales.  Z. Tierpsychol. 39, 463 491.

Zayan, R.  (1976). Modification des effets liés à la priorité de résidence chez Xiphophorus (Pisces, Poeciliidae): Le rôle de 1'isolement et des différences de taille.  Z. Tier­psychol. 41, 142 190.

Zayan, R., Doyen, J. & Duncan, I.J.H. (1983). Social and space requirements for hens in battery cages. In: Animal housing and welfare (Baxter, S.H., Baxter, M.R. & MacCormack, J.A.D., eds). Boston (Martinus Nijhoff).

Metadata

Repository Staff Only: item control page