DOES PAST REPRODUCTIVE HISTORY PREDICT COMPETITIVE INTERACTIONS AND MALE MATING SUCCESS IN PUPFISH

Two experiments were performed to determine the effect of past territo riality and mating success on subsequent dominance and ability to attr act females. First, in 14 staged, pair-wise encounters, the developmen t of nuptial coloration and agonistic behaviour was examined in two ty pes of males: previously territorial (PT) and previously non-territori al (PNT) males. Previously territorial males developed a more intense nuptial coloration and won all contests. Second, to test the males' ab ility to attract females, other factors were controlled that could hav e affected female mate choice, such as male size, quality of breeding substrate and male-male interactions. In 40 trials, PT males were more active, developed a more intense nuptial coloration, courted females more vigorously, spawned sooner and had a higher mating success than P NT males. Thus, in pupfish, Cyprinodon pecosensis, previous reproducti ve history is a good indicator of both dominance and mating success. O nly males in good physical condition achieve high mating success, and both intra- and inter-sexual selection are important in maintaining th e close correlation between expression of nuptial coloration, a second sexual trait, and other male attributes, such as physical condition a nd vigour, that allow a male to secure and defend a territory against rivals and to attract and spawn with females. (C) 1995 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour