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The effect of shoal size on patterns of body colour segregation in mollies
Author(s) -
Bradner J.,
McRobert S. P.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2001.tb00164.x
Subject(s) - shoal , poecilia , biology , shoaling and schooling , fish <actinopterygii> , white (mutation) , ecology , fishery , zoology , oceanography , geology , biochemistry , gene
Individual white and black mollies Poecilia latipinna spent significantly more time near the larger group when given the choice between two shoals of similar colouration to themselves. When given the choice between a large and a small shoal of dissimilar colouration to themselves, black test fish spent significantly more time with the larger shoal while white test fish showed no preference for either group. Both white and black mollies chose the smaller of two shoals when given the choice between a large dissimilarly coloured shoal and a small similarly coloured shoal. The results indicate that mollies actively discriminate between shoals on the basis of both body colour and shoal size. However, body colour segregation appears to have a stronger influence on shoal choice.