Biology 3436F/G Lecture Notes - Convict Cichlid, Cichlid, Lake Tanganyika
Document Summary
Observation parental and aggressive acts during biparental brood care of convict cichlids, Biparental care is an evolutionary behaviour that is prominent in mammals and birds but rarely in fish. A species of fish, convict cichlids (amatitlania nigrofasciata) displays this behaviour protecting their young. Both sexes partake in various roles such as pit-digging to charging at predators. Both genders engage in increased number of defensive acts upon presence of predators. Males engaged in more aggressive acts while both sexes were equally tending the brood. Males have a territorial protection role in biparental care of cichlid broods. Monogamy and biparental care are a common concept for humans and mammals. The combination is present in around 80% of birds (cockburn, 2006). However, in fish around 80% receive no parental care and 4% receive biparental care (thompson, 2019). A particular species of fish, convict cichlid, amatitlania nigrofasciata, display biparental care and monogamy in natural settings (egger et al. , 2006; sefc, 2011).
