Journal
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
Volume 65, Issue 4, Pages 1080-1095Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.00517.x
Keywords
dominance; energy; growth; helpers; Neolamprologus pulcher
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The physiological effects of social rank were examined in three different experiments with Neolamprologus pulcher a cooperatively breeding cichlid, endemic to Lake Tanganyika, East Africa. The effects of rank on physiology between pairs of dominant and subordinate size-matched fish (experiment 1) and among groups of four size-matched fish (experiment 2) were examined. A third experiment mimicked the natural social structure in the wild; pairs were observed with other group members including breeders. The effect of social position was investigated on growth rates, liver concentrations of adenosine triphospate (ATP), lipids, proteins, creatine phosphate (CrP), glucose and glycogen as well as plasma cortisol. In naturalistic group settings, dominants displayed higher levels of liver protein and plasma cortisol. In the absence of breeders, dominant individuals (of helper pairs) had higher liver glycogen levels and dominant fish (held in groups of four) grew most. These results support previous cooperatively breeding mammal studies and suggest that dominant individuals experience higher cortisol levels as well as higher growth rates. (C) 2004 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available