Advancements in Research on Cichlid: Reproductive Biology, Social Structure, and Communication
Download PDF

Keywords

Cichlids
Social structure
Population behavior
Communication
Reproductive biology

DOI

10.26689/ssr.v6i7.7501

Submitted : 2024-07-03
Accepted : 2024-07-18
Published : 2024-08-02

Abstract

The social behavior of cichlid fish emerged as a captivating subject within the realm of ichthyological research. The sociality of these aquatic organisms often encompasses a wealth of intricate elements. Within this complexity, the reproductive biology of cichlids was observed to mirror the characteristics pivotal for progeny propagation and population development. Their social structures were characterized by stringent hierarchies and occupational specialization among individuals. Communication mechanisms were found to be instrumental in ensuring the timely exchange of information across members of the species. Furthermore, population behaviors served as vital conduits, maintaining the cohesion of the aforementioned elements and securing the seamless operation of this organic system. Given these aspects, this study chose these topics as entry points for inquiry, synthesizing recent scholarly work on cichlid sociality to retrace the trajectory of research in this field. This retrospective analysis was conducted to distill clear future directions based on the examined data. The research undertaken provided a scientific reference poised to enhance further inquiry into the enigmatic subject of cichlid sociality, laying a robust foundation for both advancing the study of these fishes and fostering their conservation.

References

Forsatkar MN, Nematollahi MA, Bisazza A, 2016, Quantity Discrimination in Parental Fish: Female Convict Cichlid Discriminate Fry Shoals of Different Sizes. Animal Cognition, 2016(19): 959–964.

Satoh S, Bshary R, Shibasaki M, et al., 2021, Prosocial and Antisocial Choices in a Monogamous Cichlid with Biparental Care. Nature Communications, 12(1): 1775.

Langen K, Schwarzer J, Kullmann H, et al., 2011, Microsatellite Support for Active Inbreeding in a Cichlid Fish. PLoS One, 6(9): e24689.

Vitt S, Schons RF, Keller AJR, et al., 2023, Inbreeding Affects Juvenile Shoaling Behaviour in Sibling Groups of a Cichlid Fish. Hydrobiologia, 850(10–11): 2393–2404.

Gussone L, Hüllen A, Vitt S, et al., 2023, Impact of Genetic Relatedness on Reproductive Behavior in Pelvicachromis pulcher, a Biparental Cichlid Fish with Mutual Mate Choice and Ornamentation. The Science of Nature, 110(3): 17.

Awata S, Munehara H, Kohda M, 2005, Social System and Reproduction of Helpers in a Cooperatively Breeding Cichlid Fish (Julidochromis ornatus) in Lake Tanganyika: Field Observations and Parentage Analyses. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2005(58): 506–516.

Zimmermann H, Bose APH, Eisner H, et al., 2023, Seasonal Variation in Cuckoldry Rates in the Socially Monogamous Cichlid Fish Variabilichromis moorii. Hydrobiologia, 850(10–11): 2371–2383.

Oldfield RG, Mandrekar K, Nieves MX, et al., 2015, Parental Care in the Cuatro Ciénegas Cichlid, Herichthys minckleyi (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Hydrobiologia, 2015(748): 233–257.

Li N, Takeyama T, Jordan L A, et al., 2015, Female Control of Paternity by Spawning Site Choice in a Cooperatively Polyandrous Cichlid. Behaviour, 152(2): 231–245.

Teresa FB, Freitas EG, 2011, Reproductive Behavior and Parental Roles of the Cichlid Fish Laetacara araguaiae. Neotropical Ichthyology, 2011(9): 355–362.

Ronco F, Roesti M, Salzburger W, 2019, A Functional Trade-off between Trophic Adaptation and Parental Care Predicts Sexual Dimorphism in Cichlid Fish. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 286(1909): 20191050.

McKaye KR, Murry BA, 2008, Sex Role Differentiation in Brood Defense by a Nicaraguan Cichlid Fish, Amphilophus xiloanensis. Caribbean Journal of Science, 44(1): 13–20.

Tanaka H, Heg D, Takeshima H, et al., 2015, Group Composition, Relatedness, and Dispersal in the Cooperatively Breeding Cichlid Neolamprologus Obscurus. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2015(69): 169–181.

Jungwirth A, Zöttl M, Bonfils D, et al., 2023, Philopatry Yields Higher Fitness than Dispersal in a Cooperative Breeder with Sex-specific Life History Trajectories. Science Advances, 9(9): eadd2146.

Braga GI, Radford AN, 2019, Experimental Evidence that Intruder and Group Member Attributes Affect Outgroup Defence and Associated Within-group Interactions in a Social Fish. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 286(1912): 20191261.

Garvy KA, Hellmann JK, Ligocki IY, et al., 2015, Sex and Social Status Affect Territorial Defence in a Cooperatively Breeding Cichlid Fish, Neolamprologus savoryi. Hydrobiologia, 2015(748): 75–85.

Weitekamp CA, Hofmann HA, 2017, Neuromolecular Correlates of Cooperation and Conflict during Territory Defense in a Cichlid Fish. Hormones and Behavior, 2017(89): 145–156.

Tanaka H, Frommen JG, Kohda M, 2018, Helpers Increase Food Abundance in the Territory of a Cooperatively Breeding Fish. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 72(3): 1–9.

Thünken T, Hesse S, Meuthen D, 2020, Increased Levels of Perceived Competition Decrease Juvenile Kin-Shoaling Preferences in a Cichlid Fish. The American Naturalist, 195(5): 868–875.

Jungwirth A, Walker J, Taborsky M, 2015, Prospecting Precedes Dispersal and Increases Survival Chances in Cooperatively Breeding Cichlids. Animal Behaviour, 2015(106): 107–114.

Bergmüller R, Heg D, Peer K, et al., 2005, Extended Safe Havens and Between-group Dispersal of Helpers in a Cooperatively Breeding Cichlid. Behaviour, 2005, 142(11–12): 1643–1667.

Zimmermann H, Sefc KM, Bose APH, 2023, Single Fathers Sacrifice their Broods and Re-mate Quickly in a Socially Monogamous Cichlid. Behavioral Ecology, 34(5): 881–890.

Anderson AF, Cánepa M, Moreira RG, et al., 2011, Social and Reproductive Physiology and Behavior of the Neotropical Cichlid Fish Cichlasoma dimerus under Laboratory Conditions. Neotropical Ichthyology, 2011(9): 559–570.

Tanaka H, Frommen JG, Takahashi T, et al., 2016, Predation Risk Promotes Delayed Dispersal in the Cooperatively Breeding Cichlid Neolamprologus obscurus. Animal Behaviour, 2016(117): 51–58.

Lerena DAM, Antunes DF, Taborsky B, 2021, The Interplay between Winner-Loser Effects and Social Rank in Cooperatively Breeding Vertebrates. Animal Behaviour, 2021(177): 19–29.

Suriyampola PS, Eason PK, 2015, Sex Differences in Territorial Defense in a Shell-Breeding Cichlid, Neolamprologus multifasciatus. Acta Ethologica, 2015(18): 59–68.

Ligocki IY, Reddon AR, Hellmann JK, et al., 2015, Social Status Influences Responses to Unfamiliar Conspecifics in a Cooperatively Breeding Fish. Behaviour, 152(12–13): 1821–1839.

Culbert BM, Barnett JB, Ligocki IY, et al., 2022, Colorful Facial Markings are Associated with Foraging Rates and Affiliative Relationships in a Wild Group-living Cichlid Fish. Current Zoology, 70(1): 70–78.

Hellmann JK, Hamilton IM, 2019, Intragroup Social Dynamics Vary with the Presence of Neighbors in a Cooperatively Breeding Fish. Current Zoology, 65(1): 21–31.

Ramallo MR, Birba A, Honji RM, et al., 2015, A Multidisciplinary Study on Social Status and the Relationship between Inter-individual Variation in Hormone Levels and Agonistic Behavior in a Neotropical Cichlid Fish. Hormones and Behavior, 2015(69): 139–151.

Clement TS, Parikh V, Schrumpf M, et al., 2005, Behavioral Coping Strategies in a Cichlid Fish: The Role of Social Status and Acute Stress Response in Direct and Displaced Aggression. Hormones and Behavior, 47(3): 336–342.

Culbert BM, Gilmour KM, Balshine S, 2018, Stress Axis Regulation during Social Ascension in a Group-Living Cichlid Fish. Hormones and Behavior, 2018(103): 121–128.

King T, Ray EJ, Tramontana B, et al., 2022, Behavior and Neural Activation Patterns of Non-redundant Visual and Acoustic Signaling during Courtship in an African Cichlid Fish. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225(18): jeb244548.

Field KE, Maruska KP, 2017, Context-dependent Chemosensory Signaling, Aggression and Neural Activation Patterns in Gravid Female African Cichlid Fish. Journal of Experimental Biology, 220(24): 4689–4702.

Li CY, Lawrence K, Merlo-Coyne J, et al., 2023, Prostaglandin F2a Drives Female Pheromone Signaling in Cichlids, Revealing a Basis for Evolutionary Divergence in Olfactory Signaling. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(1): e2214418120.

Maruska KP, Ung US, Fernald RD, 2012, The African Cichlid Fish Astatotilapia burtoni Uses Acoustic Communication for Reproduction: Sound Production, Hearing, and Behavioral Significance. PloS One, 7(5): e37612.

Silverman HI, 1978, The Effects of Visual Social Stimulation upon Age at First Spawning in the Mouth-Brooding Cichlid Fish Sarotherodon (Tilapia) mossambicus (Peters). Animal Behaviour, 1978(26): 1120–1125.

Hubbard PC, Baduy F, Saraiva JL, et al., 2017, High Olfactory Sensitivity to Conspecific Intestinal Fluid in the Chameleon Cichlid Australoheros facetus: Could Faeces Signal Dominance? Journal of Fish Biology, 90(5): 2148–2156.

Nikonov AA, Maruska KP, 2019, Male Dominance Status Regulates Odor-evoked Processing in the Forebrain of a Cichlid Fish. Scientific Reports, 9(1): 5083.

Gauy ACS, Bolognesi MC, Gonçalves-de-Freitas E, 2019, Unusual Effect of Chemical Communication on Social Aggression in Juvenile Cichlid Fish Cichlasoma paranaense (Cichliformes: Cichlidae). Neotropical Ichthyology, 17(2): e180159.

Barata EN, Hubbard PC, Almeida OG, et al., 2007, Male Urine Signals Social Rank in the Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). BMC Biology, 2007(5): 1–11.

Bayani DM, Taborsky M, Frommen JG, 2017, To Pee or Not to Pee: Urine Signals Mediate Aggressive Interactions in the Cooperatively Breeding Cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2017(71): 1–10.

Butler JM, Maruska KP, 2015, The Mechanosensory Lateral Line is Used to Assess Opponents and Mediate Aggressive Behaviors during Territorial Interactions in an African Cichlid Fish. Journal of Experimental Biology, 218(20): 3284–3294.

Connor CM, Reddon AR, Odetunde A, et al., 2015, Social Cichlid Fish Change Behaviour in Response to a Visual Predator Stimulus, but not the Odour of Damaged Conspecifics. Behavioural Processes, 2015(121): 21–29.

Culbert BM, Balshine S, 2019, Visual Threat Signals Influence Social Interactions in a Cooperatively Breeding Fish. Animal Behaviour, 2019(151): 177–184.