Data Sheet 11

Field observations of courtship and mating between limnetic and benthic sticklebacks

(Ridgeway and McPhail 1984)

Casual field observations were made of courtships between sticklebacks during the breeding seasons of 1980 and 1981. The great majority of courtships took place between benthic males and females or limnetic males and females. A total of seven interspecific courtships were observed. In five of these, benthic females responded to limnetic males. In two courtships, limnetic females responded to benthic males. In all cases, the courtships ended before the female reached the male's nest.