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Current research

 

1. Colour vision and communication in aquatic environments

 

k. UV cues and mate choice in reef fish

 

Apogon leptacanthus

   I worked on a two-year postdoc which involved looking at ultraviolet (UV) colour patterns, and how these might be related to the reproduction ecology in two species of cardinal fish Apogon leptacanthus and A. fragilis.  

Apogon fragilis

 

Fish may use multiple cues in assessing mate choice. It may for example be behaviour cues, nest building cues and/or colour patterns. Colour patterns may be involved in many other mechanisms such as species recognition and camouflage. In a mate choice situation, colours may tell the other partner that he/she may be healthier if having brighter colours. Colouration display may also be involved intersexual selection (male combats over matings, territories etc.).

 

In fish species that provide care for the offspring it is most often the males who provide the care (paternal care). There are many interesting hypothesis to explain the abundance of male care in fish, however it still remains an unsolved question.

 
In my earlier research, on the fifteen-spined stickleback (Spinachia spinachia), I looked at female choice on paternal skills. I am planning to investigate parental care questions here as well, since Apogonid males are mouthbreeders, which opens many interesting hypothesis.  

Spinachia spinachia

Investigators: Dr. Sara Östlund-Nilsson, Dr. Ulrike Siebeck and Prof. Justin Marshall

 

Last updated: March 2007 by Janine Bertler

Vision Touch and Hearing Research Centre
School of Biomedical Sciences
University of Queensland
Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia