Male African Cichlid Fish Can Rapidly Switch On Idle Reproductive Systems When Need Arises

Posted on July 18, 2011

In an African cichlid fish society only the dominant male reproduces. However, Stanford researchers have found that if the dominant male disappears, a subordinate cichlid can rise to the procreative status with stunning speed.

Stanford researchers say that a newly self-appointed alpha begins "acting alpha" within a few minutes of the disappearance of the dominant male. The new alpha can spawn successfully within a few hours and will have its sperm in top reproductive condition in less than a day.

Russ Fernald, a professor of biology, one of the authors of a research paper, said, "There is a signal from the recognition of social opportunity all the way into the gonads to change the quality of the sperm. It was completely unexpected that the reach of social information would go that deep so quickly."

Take a look:

A research paper about the study in the current issue of Proceedings of the Royal Society B.


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