Article,

Aspects of sexual discrimination by female Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens Regan)

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Behaviour, 70 (3-sup-4): 323--336 (1979)

Abstract

Recorded responses of female Betta splendens to various stimuli (e.g., live male and female B. splendens) presented behind a transparent partition. The models consisted of 4 pairs, one member of which had long male-like fins and raised opercula, and the other, short femalelike fins and lowered opercula. The 1st pair had lifelike coloring; the other 3 pairs had äggressive," "submissive," and "reproductive" colorings. The responses to live males and females differed primarily in the amounts of agonistic behavior shown to each, and in the color patterns adopted. Four main motivational systems are suggested as influencing a female's response to a conspecific: (a) a close display response elicited by a female conspecific, (b) a mate-or-flee response to a male conspecific (affecting primarily the color pattern adopted by the female), (c) an overt-aggression response most often elicited by a female conspecific, and (d) a "curiosity" response indicating interest in a stimulus. Females appear to distinguish 3 classes of conspecific: "displaying female," "courting male," and öther." There was some indication that females discriminate the sex of conspecifics using only fin length and body pattern cues, but unlike the males, it appears likely that these cues are not the primary ones. (French summary) (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved)

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