Polygyny and nest site abundance in the slimy sculpin ( Cottus cognatus )

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Mousseau, Timothy A., Collins, Nicholas C.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1987
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Cottus cognatus; Slimy sculpin
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z87-429; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z87-429

The mating patterns of three slimy sculpin populations from central Ontario were examined using SCUBA to determine the relationship between the degree of polygyny and the relative availability of potential nest sites. We found that sculpins were exclusively polygynous in a lake where nests were probably limiting, while in two other lakes where potential nests were much more abundant relative to male density, the predominant mating system was monogamy. Our observations of sculpin mating patterns conform to those predicted for species exhibiting resource-defense polygyny.