Female mate sampling in the two-spotted goby, Gobiusculus flavescens, in relation to sexual competition

Knowledge of mate sampling patterns is important to understand sexual selection processes. This is a hitherto little explored phenomenon among marine fishes, but central to understanding animal sexual dynamics. In this study I have explored female mate sampling patterns in the two-spotted goby (Gobiusculus flavescens). The two- spotted goby is of particular interest because of the change in sex roles (i.e. mating competition) over the season, which may affect mate sampling patterns. 28 females were followed until mating. Preliminary analyses showed that females visited between 1 and 40 males before mating. There was a trend for more males to be visited before mating early than late in the season, and for courtship interactions to last longer late than early in the season. However, the time spent sampling males did not differ between early and late season. Females generally mated with males bigger than themselves early, but not late in the season. Females also rejected a larger part of mating opportunities during the early season than they did late in the season. This may suggest that females are choosier earlier than late in the season, when female-female competition may constrain mate sampling.