Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-012-0166-2
Title: Partner choice in Gobiid fish Myersina macrostoma living in association with the alpheid shrimp Alpheus rapax
Authors: Jaafar, Z. 
Hou, Z.
Keywords: Alpheus lobidens
Alpheus rapax
Myersina macrostoma
Partner choice
Symbiosis
Issue Date: May-2012
Citation: Jaafar, Z., Hou, Z. (2012-05). Partner choice in Gobiid fish Myersina macrostoma living in association with the alpheid shrimp Alpheus rapax. Symbiosis 56 (3) : 121-127. ScholarBank@NUS Repository. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-012-0166-2
Abstract: Partner choice is an important selective force in mutualistic partnerships. Although several aspects of mutualism have been well-studied, partner choice remains a novel aspect in the study of marine mutualists. Previous research on the goby-shrimp mutualism suggested that visual cues affect the ability of gobies to discriminate between potential shrimp partners but small sample sizes limited the generalization of that result. Here, primary partner choice in Myersina macrostoma was investigated in a series of ex situ experiments. Results indicated that shrimp-associated gobies relied on visual cues in partner choice. The goby M. macrostoma was clearly able to discern between different shelter types, demonstrating a preference for burrows compared to rocks. While they were attracted to larger burrows, they were not visually attracted to larger shrimp partners. This indicates that in wild populations, intraspecific competition for larger burrows might be the driving factor in size assortment in associated partners. Myersina macrostoma could also discern between species of shrimps in laboratory experimental set-ups, indicating a clear preference for A. rapax which they naturally occur with, but not to A. lobidens, which occurs at the same locality but with which they do not naturally associate. These findings offer fundamental building blocks towards the broader understanding of partnership formations in marine mutualists. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012.
Source Title: Symbiosis
URI: http://scholarbank.nus.edu.sg/handle/10635/101353
ISSN: 03345114
DOI: 10.1007/s13199-012-0166-2
Appears in Collections:Staff Publications

Show full item record
Files in This Item:
There are no files associated with this item.

Google ScholarTM

Check

Altmetric


Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.