Metabolic divergence between sibling species of cichlids Pundamilia nyererei and Pundamilia pundamilia. Issue 6 (4th June 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dijkstra, P. D.; Seehausen, O.; Metcalfe, N. B.
• Is Part Of: Journal of fish biology. Volume 82:Issue 6(2013)
• Page Start: 1975
• Page End: 1989
• Publication Date: 2013-06-04
• Subjects: Fishes -- Periodicals; Fishes -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 597
• DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12125
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1112

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>This study compared <italic>Pundamilia nyererei</italic> and <italic>Pundamilia pundamilia</italic> males in routine metabolic rate (<italic>R</italic>_R) and in the metabolic costs males pay during territorial interactions (active metabolic rate, <italic>R</italic>_A). <italic>Pundamilia nyererei</italic> and <italic>P. pundamilia</italic> males housed in social isolation did not differ in <italic>R</italic>_R. In contrast to expectation, however, <italic>P. nyererei</italic> males used less oxygen than <italic>P. pundamilia</italic> males, for a given mass and level of agonistic activity. This increased metabolic efficiency may be an adaptation to limit the metabolic cost that <italic>P. nyererei</italic> males pay for their higher rate of aggressiveness compared to <italic>P. pundamilia</italic> males. Thus, the divergence between the species in agonistic behaviour is correlated with metabolic differentiation. Such concerted divergence in physiology and behaviour might be widespread in the dramatically diverse cichlid radiations in East African lakes and may be an important factor in the remarkably rapid speciation of these fishes. The results did not support the hypothesis that higher metabolic rates caused a physiological cost to <italic>P. nyererei</italic> males that would offset their dominance advantage.</p> </abstract>