Biparental Mouthbrooding and Guarding in a Tanganyikan Cichlid Haplotaxodon microlepis

Abstract

Differences between parental roles of males and females in Haplotaxodon microlepis (Cichlidae) were investigated in Lake Tanganyika, and the early ontogeny and growth of the species were studied in the aquarium. Eggs were mouthbrooded by the female, and it is suggested that small larvae (>9mm in total length) were also mouthbrooded by females though such samples were not collected. Above this size the larvae began to feed, and parents jointly performed mouthbrooding and guarding until the young grew to 25-30mm, nearly 2 months after spawning. Males and females mouthbrooded to the same extent, but when a part of the brood was released, females mainly guarded the released brood and males took the mouthbrooding role. Differences in parentalcare patterns between H. microlepis and other monogamous mouthbrooding cichlids are discussed.