Full Text:
Genes in an area of the brain that is relatively similar in fish, humans and all vertebrates appear to regulate how organisms coordinate and shift their behaviors, according to a new study. The genes in this area of the brain, some of which have been implicated in human social behaviors, play a role in the ability of these fish to be flexible in their own reproductive-related social behaviors.
There are two types of male plainfin midshipman fish, which makes it an ideal model for studying plasticity in reproductive behaviors. Type I males excavate and defend nests, make humming sounds to court females and parent their young. Type II males reproduce through cuckoldry -- sneaking into the nests of Type I males and fertilizing eggs. In the study, the researchers set up fish in outdoor tanks that simulate natural conditions. When a male sneaked into a nest or hummed to court a female, the researchers quickly removed that male and sequenced genetic material from its brain. This helped determine how much expression levels of certain genes coincided with each courting behavior.Image credit: Margaret Marchaterre/Cornell University
