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Sex recognition in surface- and cave-dwelling Atlantic molly females (Poecilia mexicana, Poeciliidae, Teleostei): influence of visual and non-visual cues

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Abstract

Cave fishes need to rely on non-visual senses, such as the sense of smell or the lateral line to communicate in darkness. In the present study, we investigated sex identification by females of a cave-dwelling livebearing fish, Poecilia mexicana (cave molly), as well as its surface-dwelling relatives. Unlike many other cave fishes, cave mollies still possess functional eyes. Three different modes of presentation of the stimulus fish (a male and an equally sized female) were used: (i) the stimulus fish were presented behind wire-mesh in light, allowing the focal female to perceive multiple cues, (ii) the experiment was carried out under infrared conditions, such that only non-visual cues could be perceived and (iii) the stimulus fish were presented in light behind transparent Plexiglas, allowing for the use of visual cues only. Females of all populations examined preferred to associate with the stimulus female in at least one of the treatments, but only when visible light was provided, suggesting that far-range sex recognition is limited or even absent in the cave molly under naturally dark conditions.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the people of Tapijulapa for their hospitality during our visits. The Mexican Government kindly issued permits to collect fish (Permiso de pesca de fomento numbers: 291002-613-1577 and DGOPA/5864/260704/-2408). Financial support came from the DFG to M. P. (PL 470/1-1), the German Ichthyological Association (to M. T. and M. P. ) as well as the Basler Foundation for Biological Research, the Janggen-Poehn-Foundation, the Roche Research Foundation, and the Wolfermann-Nägeli-Foundation (to M. T. ). We are indebted to J. Parzefall for introducing us to the biology of the cave molly.

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  1. Unit of Evolutionary Biology and Systematic Zoology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Universität Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24–25, Haus 26, 14476, Potsdam, Germany

    Martin Plath

  2. Zoological Institute, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstr. 190, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland

    Michael Tobler

  3. Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK, 73019, USA

    Martin Plath & Michael Tobler

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  1. Martin Plath
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Correspondence to Martin Plath.

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Plath, M., Tobler, M. Sex recognition in surface- and cave-dwelling Atlantic molly females (Poecilia mexicana, Poeciliidae, Teleostei): influence of visual and non-visual cues. acta ethol 10, 81–88 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-007-0033-y

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