Maipulations of signalling environment affect male competitive success in three-spined sticklebacks

摘要

Breeding adult male three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus L., develop and elaborate breeding signal, the primary component of which is ventral red coloration. In laboratory dominance tests staged under illumination conditions that maintained or eliminated male perceived coloration, this study examined (1) the relationship between male coloration and fighting ability and (2) the applicability of three hypotheses for the current function of male coloration in male-male competitive interactions.