One trait, many signals: different information on male quality is enclosed within the same trait in a blenny fish

Colourful ornaments are traditionally evaluated as one trait. However, they could consist of several components, such as total size, colour intensity and extension, each possibly bearing its own message about one aspect of quality. Males of the blenny Salaria pavo exhibit a colourful head crest and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Die Naturwissenschaften 2012-10, Vol.99 (10), p.863-867
Main Authors: Locatello, Lisa, Pizzolon, Matteo, Rasotto, Maria Berica
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjuvants, Immunologic - pharmacology
Animals
antigens
Biomedical and Life Sciences
breeding season
carotenoids
Carotenoids - metabolism
color
eggs
Environment
Female
females
fish
head
immune system
Life Sciences
lipopolysaccharides
Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology
Male
males
Perciformes - genetics
Perciformes - immunology
Perciformes - physiology
Phenotype
Pigmentation - drug effects
Pigmentation - immunology
Salaria pavo
Sex Characteristics
Sexual Behavior, Animal - physiology
Short Communication
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Summary:Colourful ornaments are traditionally evaluated as one trait. However, they could consist of several components, such as total size, colour intensity and extension, each possibly bearing its own message about one aspect of quality. Males of the blenny Salaria pavo exhibit a colourful head crest and solely care for eggs. During the breeding season, the head crest shows a yellow colouration, the intensity and relative extension of which are independent of crest size. Here, we show that: (1) carotenoids are responsible for the head crest yellow patch; (2) activating the immune system by injecting the bacterial antigen lipopolysaccharides affects both the intensity and extent of the yellow colouration; and (3) females assess males on the basis of colour patch expression. However, the response of the yellow patch to the immune challenge was dependent on head crest size. Indeed, males with a larger head crest reacted better to the simulated infection, sustaining a level of yellow patch close to pre-challenge size.
ISSN:0028-1042
1432-1904
DOI:10.1007/s00114-012-0959-4