Female choice and male competition in longear sunfish

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Abstract
Mating systems with spatial clumping of nests or display sites theoretically can result from female preference for clumped males or from competitive interactions among males. We tested predictions derived from these two types of models against observations of nest dispersion, mating success, and alternative male mating tactics in a naturally occurring population of central longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis megalotis). The data were consistent with models for male-initiated spatial clumping of nest sites; no evidence of female preference for clumped nests was found. We observed that large males had greater mating success than small males and that solitarily nesting males were larger than colonial males; the most successful males were solitary nesters. Mating success of large males did not increase with colony size. Furthermore, colonial males were often cuckolded by neighbors, whereas solitary males were not cuckolded. We propose that colonial nesting is maintained in longear sunfish because group nesting allows subordinate males to obtain access to females.

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