Female affiliative preference depends on reproductive state in the African cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni

Abstract

Hormones play a pivotal role in reproductive behavior and have been implicated in mediating mate choice decisions. Here we asked whether the differences in female reproductive state dependent on changes in hormone levels correspond to changes in female affiliation with males. In the African cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni, males shift between reproductive (territorial; T) and non-reproductive (non-territorial; NT) states depending on social context while females alternate between gravid (egg bearing; G) and non-gravid (NG) reproductive states independent of social conditions. Moreover, the brain-pituitary-gonadal axis controlling reproduction and reproductive hormones is substantially remodeled in both males and females depending on reproductive state. To measure affiliative preference, gravid and non-gravid females were given the choice of associating with T or NT males. Gravid females preferentially associated with T males, whereas non-gravid females showed no preference. To discover whether gravid females use male size independent of dominance status as a cue for their choice, gravid females were given a choice between territorial males of different sizes. Gravid females preferred the smaller of two T males, but the smaller T males were significantly more active. Our results show that associative change could be an important behavioral mediator between hormonal cues and reproductive success, and that females use a hierarchy of cues in decision-making, preferring to affiliate with T over NT males and, among T males, preferring more active animals.