Mate removal leads to increase in parental defence behaviour in free-ranging convict cichlids

The convict cichlid Amatitlania nigrofasciata is a monogamous, biparental teleost species. Convict cichlids form pairs to provide parental care and share in territory defence. In order for pairs to be successful there must be coordination of behaviour between the sexes. Although pair dynamics have been studied in the laboratory, few field experiments have investigated male and female responses to mate removal. We examined how convict cichlids modulate their parental defence behaviour in response to mate removal at Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve, Costa Rica. We presented convict cichlid pairs with a conspecific intruder and observed the parental defence behaviour of both individuals. One member of the pair was then removed and the remaining individual was presented with the intruder. Both males and females significantly increased aggression towards the intruder after the removal of the mate; however, males were able to fully compensate for the loss of the female, whereas females were not. These results suggest that both male and female convict cichlids may modulate their behaviour in response to changing stimuli.

► Male and female convict cichlids increased parental defence after mate loss. ► Males compensated fully for the loss of their mate, but females did not. ► Males and females appear to modulate parental behaviour in response to context.