TACTIC FOR BOWER ACQUISITION BY MALE CICHLIDS, CYATHOPHARYNX FURCIFER, IN LAKE-TANGANYIKA

A tactic for bower acquisition by male cichlids, Cyathopharynx furcife r, was studied in Lake Tanganyika. Males held crater-shaped bowers of sand within their territories, which were located adjacent to each oth er. Females visited bowers to spawn eggs, subsequently brooding the eg gs in their mouths. Some individuals held territories without bowers n ear those of males with bowers. Although only the males with bowers su cceeded in reproduction, they were apparently exhausted by bower maint enance and reproduction, and often deserted their bowers. These were s oon occupied by males which had held nearby territories without bowers , such males then engaging in reproductive activity. Although the cons truction of new bowers by males was observed, such was unsuccessful, p robably because too much energy was required and/or the optimal space for bowers was limited. Direct aggression by males without bowers agai nst bower-holding males to deprive the bowers was not observed, possib ly due to the high costs of such competition. Therefore, waiting for b ower desertion by other males may be the best bower acquisition tactic for males without bowers.