On the Female Sex Pheromones and Courtship Behaviour in the Bitterlings Rhodeus ocellatus ocellatus and Acheilognathus lanceolatus

Abstract

It was demonstrated that males of rose bitterling Rhodeus ocellatus ocellatus were able to discriminate post-ovulatory females from pre-ovulatory ones on the basis of a chemical cue. And also males of slender biterling Acheilognathus lanceolatus were able to discriminate between post-ovulatory females and pre-ovulatory ones on the basis of a chemical cue. Some important aspects derived from the experiments are listed as follows;
1. Post-ovulatory females of each species released a female sex pheromone respectively, which males detect by olfaction.
2. The pheromone of each species was present in the genital cavity fluid and in the ovaries of post-ovulatory females.
3. Males of each species discriminated post-ovulatory females of their own kind from those of other species by olfaction. And difference of female sex pheromone was observed between the two bitterlings.