Fish can't be alpha male without female's blessing

[Spiel]

Fish can't be alpha male without female's blessing

 

January 31, 2008 / Amberly Mcateer

The Hamilton Spectator

 

 

To be the biggest fish in the pond, all you need is the approval of a strong female.

 

McMaster University researchers discovered the promotion of males to the top of the social ladder is determined by, you guessed it, the group's highest-ranking female fish.

 

The study on class structures in a rare species of African fish was published yesterday in the British journal Proceedings of the Royal Society.

 

Lead researcher John Fitzpatrick , a graduate student in McMaster's biology department, said he is no stranger to female dominance in his own life.

 

"But to find this sort of thing happening in this fish species, that was a little surprising."

 

Scientists studied the cichlid species in a Zambian lake.

 

The biggest female and male are the exclusive breeders of their group, as the rest of the "helpers" rear offspring and patrol territory.

 

When scientists removed the dominant male, the head female decided who was next in line, choosing the only male bigger than her.

 

Once the female fish gave the sign, the new alpha fish became almost immediately more aggressive and its testes swelled to double their size.

 

"This shows us that it's true, behind every good man is a good woman," said Fitzpatrick.

 

"Or at least there's a woman that lets him be good."