Forced monogamy in a multiply mating species does not impede colonisation success

BACKGROUND: The guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is a successful invasive species. It is also a species that mates multiply; previous studies have demonstrated that this strategy carries fitness benefits. Guppies are routinely introduced to tanks and troughs in regions outside their native range for mosq...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMC ecology 2014-06, Vol.14 (1), p.18-18
Main Authors: Deacon, Amy E, Barbosa, Miguel, Magurran, Anne E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
adults
Analysis
Animal reproduction
Animals
Behavior
Biology
Confidence intervals
courtship
ecosystems
Environmental aspects
Female
Females
Frequency distribution
Freshwater
Hypotheses
Insect control
Introduced Species
invasive species
Male
males
Minors
Monogamy
mosquito control
Mosquitoes
Multivariate analysis
Poecilia - physiology
Poecilia reticulata
Population
Population Dynamics
Reproduction - physiology
Sexual Behavior, Animal
Success
surface water
tanks
Variables
vigor
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Summary:BACKGROUND: The guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is a successful invasive species. It is also a species that mates multiply; previous studies have demonstrated that this strategy carries fitness benefits. Guppies are routinely introduced to tanks and troughs in regions outside their native range for mosquito-control purposes, and often spread beyond these initial confines into natural water bodies with negative ecological consequences. Here, using a mesocosm set up that resembles the containers into which single guppies are typically introduced for mosquito control, we ask whether singly-mated females are at a disadvantage, relative to multiply-mated females, when it comes to founding a population. Treatments were monitored for one year. RESULTS: A key finding was that mating history did not predict establishment success, which was 88% in both treatments. Furthermore, analysis of behavioural traits revealed that the descendants of singly-mated females retained antipredator behaviours, and that adult males showed no decrease in courtship vigour. Also, we detected no differences in behavioural variability between treatments. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that even when denied the option of multiple mating, singly-mated female guppies can produce viable populations, at least at the founder stage. This may prove to be a critical advantage in typical introduction scenarios where few individuals are released into enclosed water bodies before finding their way into natural ecosystems.
ISSN:1472-6785
1472-6785
DOI:10.1186/1472-6785-14-18