Courtship, spawning, and parental care behavior of the lumpfish, Cyclopterus lumpus L., in Newfoundland

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Goulet, Denis, Green, John M., Shears, Tim H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1986
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z86-196; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z86-196

The courtship, spawning, and paternal care behavior of lumpfish, Cyclopterus lumpus, in Broad Cove, Newfoundland, are described. Breeding lumpfish are sexually dimorphic and exhibit a distinct sexual dichromatism during reproduction. Spawning females are larger than males and pale blueish green in color. Male lumpfish nuptial coloration consists of a greyish black body and an orange–red ventral surface and fins. Spawning follows an extended courtship involving nest cleaning, fin brushing, and quivering. Females extrude pink eggs onto the surface of the nest which the male fertilizes. After fertilization, males mold the eggs into the nest, producing funnel-like depressions in the egg mass. Males remain with the eggs throughout the incubation period providing parental care. Pectoral fanning and puffing, the expelling of water from the mouth towards the surface of the egg mass, are the predominant parental care behaviors exhibited throughout the incubation period. Quantitative variation between males in the amount of time spent in parental care was independent of male size. Egg masses are maintained free of invertebrate predators by the male, but males are unable to defend eggs against predation by large groups of cunners, Tautogolabrus adspersus. Puffing behavior was more frequent towards the end of the incubation period than at the beginning. During hatching emergent larvae are swept from the nest site by male fanning and puffing behaviors.