Cod courtship song: a song at the expense of dance?

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Engen, Frode, Folstad, Ivar
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1999
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Gadus morhua
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z99-010; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z99-010

Sexually selected characters may reveal information about individual quality during mate choice. Fin display and sound emitted with the aid of specific drumming muscles are characters described as being of importance in the reproductive behaviour of cod (Gadus morhua L.). We examined whether the mass of drumming muscles or fin size was sexually dimorphic, and whether these characters could provide information about male cod that was potentially of benefit to mate-seeking females. The mass of drumming muscles, but not fin size, was sexually dimorphic, with males having larger muscles than females. Neither the mass of drumming muscles nor fin size apparently revealed information about traits that may be associated with parasite resistance in males (i.e., parasite intensities and leukocyte densities). However, variation in fertilization potential (i.e., spermatocrit level) among males was related to both mass of drumming muscles and fin size. Thus, by evaluating sound and fin size, mate-seeking females may obtain information about fertilization ability among males. This may be of particular importance for females in a species whose eggs commonly remain unfertilized. Furthermore, males with large drumming muscles and small fins had low spermatocrit levels. This may reflect reductions in sperm density resulting from frequent ejaculations by attractive males. A costly allocation of resources for the development of drumming muscles at the expense of fin muscles used for propulsion is presented as a tentative explanation as to why females should pay attention to these particular traits during courtship. Increased investment in "song" may thus appear at the expense of "dance."