Sympatry and parapatry among rocky reef cichlids of Lake Victoria explained by female mating preferences

Work on the Lake Victoria cichlids Pundamilia nyererei (red dorsum males, deeper water), Pundamilia pundamilia (blue males, shallower water) and related species pairs has provided insights into processes of speciation. Here, we investigate female mating behaviour of five Pundamilia species and four of their F1-hybrids through mate choice trials and paternity testing. We discuss the results in the context of the geography of speciation and coexistence. Complete assortative mating was observed among all sympatric species. Parapatric species with similar depth habitat distributions interbred whereas other parapatric and allopatric species showed complete assortative mating. F1-hybrids mated exclusively with species accepted by females of the parental species. Although consistent with reinforcement in sympatry, a closer look at our results suggests otherwise and it is more likely that pre-existing female preferences influence which taxa can co-exist in sympatry. Regardless of the mechanism,..., Experimental setup
A 240 x 80 x 40 cm aquarium was divided by grids into ten male compartments with a flowerpot as a standardized spawning site in each. This ‘partial partition’ design allowed females to move freely whereas the larger males were confined to their compartments (Supporting Information Figure S1). We used standard daylight full light spectrum aquarium T5 fluorescent tubes to enable nuptial colours to be visible for all females. The combination of ten males, two from each species, was changed every second month the first year when most clutches were spawned and thereafter every 3-5 months when we collected the remaining clutches (total number of males used: 9 P. azurea, 10 P. igneopinnis, 8 P. nyererei, 8 P. pundamilia and 8 P. sp. ‘red head’, Electronic supplementary material Table S1-S2). All experimental fish were marked with PIT tags and a clip from the dorsal fin provided a DNA sample. Females were introduced when large enough to be PIT-tagged (size differences depende..., , # Data from: Sympatry and parapatry among rocky reef cichlids of Lake Victoria explained by female mating preferences
Authors: Ola Svensson, Katie Woodhouse, Alan Smith, Ole Seehausen, George F. Turner
Contact details: Ola Svensson, University of Bors,
Title of study: Sympatry and parapatry among rocky reef cichlids of Lake Victoria explained by female mating preferences
Brief summary: Here, we investigate female mating behaviour of five Pundamilia species and four of their F1-hybrids through mate choice trials and paternity testing. We discuss the results in the context of the geography of speciation and coexistence.
Responsible for collecting data: Ola Svensson

## Description of the Data and file structure

Supplementary tables S1-S3
The supplementary tables contain all microsatellite paternity analyses of the wild type females and F1-females used in the present study.
Table S1 contains a summary of the spawning decisions of all females, including their IDs. Table S2 includes the mi...