Dissertation Research: Visual Factors Affecting Mate Choice in Lake Malawi Cichlids

标题：影响马拉维湖配偶选择的视觉因素：Francis Juans博士生：丽贝卡·乔丹马拉维湖的慈嘴鱼是在相对较短的进化时间内物种迅速多样化的一个极好的例子。有许多理论可以解释这种多样性，这些理论往往与通过女性选择进行的性选择有关。考虑到雄性是色彩鲜艳的，雌性大概是通过视觉线索在雄性中进行选择。由于对某些雄性的选择性，雌性会导致生殖隔离，从而导致物种差异。然而，很少有人研究雌性马拉维湖胡须鱼所使用的视觉因素。事实上，人们几乎没有做过什么来辨别这些鱼的视觉系统，这一点特别令人惊讶，因为它们依赖视觉引导的行为。这项工作的主要目标是向一群居住在马拉维湖的石斑鱼(Mbuna)提出四个主要的视觉问题：有哪些光谱异能存在于几个群体中？(Ii)视觉线索在物种交配选择中的作用是什么？(三)紫外线辐射在配偶选择和进食中的作用是什么？随着光线的衰减，物理特性会发生什么变化？对影响马拉维湖姆布纳湖的视觉因素的批判性理解是理解这些鱼的生殖隔离的必要步骤。这种理解有助于解释在这些mbuna中看到的极端多样性，而且是在关键时刻出现的，因为目前威胁到东非慈嘴鱼完整性的人为压力。

Title: Visual factors affecting mate choice in Lake Malawi cichlidsPI: Francis JuanesDoctoral student: Rebecca JordanThe cichlid fishes of Lake Malawi are an excellent example of rapid species diversification over a relatively short period of evolutionary time. There are numerous theories to explain this diversity that are often linked to sexual selection through female choice. Given that males are brightly colored, females, presumably by using visual cues, choose among the males. In being selective of certain males, females drive the reproductive isolation that lead to species differences. Little, however, has been done to investigate the visual factors used by female Lake Malawi cichlids. In fact very little has been done to discern what type of visual system these fish have, which is particularly surprising given their reliance on visually guided behaviors. The primary objective of this work is to ask four main visual questions with a group of rock dwelling Lake Malawi cichlids (mbuna): (I.) what spectral abilities exist across several groups? (II.) what is the role of visual cues in among species mate choice? (III.) what is the role of ultraviolet radiation in mate choice and feeding, and (IV.) what variation in physical characteristics occur with attenuating light? A critical understanding of the visual factors affecting the Lake Malawi mbuna is a necessary step in understanding of the reproductive isolation see in these fish. This understanding can aid in explaining the extreme diversity seen in these mbuna, and comes at pivotal time because of the anthropogenic stressors that currently threaten the integrity of the East African cichlid fish.