PhD Research Project

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The role of odour in a fish mating system

Institution:

University of St Andrews

Dept/School/Faculty:

School of Biology

PhD Supervisor:

Dr C Smith

Application Deadline:

Applications accepted all year round

PhD Research Project

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The goal will be to understand the role of odour (olfactory) signals in female and male mating decisions in a species of fish, the rose bitterling. Olfactory signals are a frequently overlooked feature of animal mating systems, but can be crucial in many species, and especially in fish. Over the past 15 years my research group have developed a deep understanding of the mating system of bitterling (35 published papers to date). Bitterling have a distinctive biology that makes them unusually amenable for research on reproduction. Uniquely, they will only lay their eggs in the gills of living freshwater mussels, in which their eggs and embryos are incubated for about four weeks. Females develop a long ovipositor to place their eggs in the gills of a mussel. Males guard mussels, court females, and attempt to lead them to mussels to spawn. This dependence on mussels gives the experimenter enormous control over where and when reproduction takes place.

We have identified stages in the reproduction of these fish that appear to be mediated by odour, though we have yet to demonstrate which odours are involved and how they function. The aim of the project will be to discover the role and significance of chemical odours in mating decisions, focusing particularly on mussel discrimination by females, mate discrimination by both sexes, and male assessment of sperm competition. It is anticipated that the results of this study will have direct application to other species, with an understanding of the function of olfactory signals opening the way for manipulating fish reproduction for welfare, conservation or in aquaculture. The project will provide the candidate with training in behavioural analyses, statistical analyses, parentage analysis, and water quality analysis.

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