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Predator‐inspection behaviour in female three‐spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus is associated with status of gravidity
Author(s) -
Frommen J. G.,
Mehlis M.,
Bakker T. C. M.
Publication year - 2009
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.1095-8649.2009.02408.x
Subject(s) - gasterosteus , biology , predator , rainbow trout , predation , zoology , three spined stickleback , reproduction , ecology , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery
Differences in predator‐inspection behaviour between gravid and non‐gravid female as well as between male and female three‐spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus were investigated. Gravid females confronted with a live rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss showed bolder inspection behaviour than non‐gravid ones. The behaviour of gravid females was comparable with that of males, maybe because both face a high risk of predation. The results indicate that antipredator behaviour in female G. aculeatus is not fixed but adjusted to their reproductive state.