Abstract
Two types of familial organization are known in Tilapia and in cichlid fishes in general1. In the biparental type, which is considered to be the more primitive2,3, both partners participate in digging the nest and defending the territory. The eggs are deposited on the ground (“substratum spawners”) and both parents take care of them and of wrigglers and fingerlings for days or even weeks. Hundreds of young form a group which stays within the limits of the territory, and which is kept together by special movements of the parents. The bond between the parents is very strong4,5.
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RUWET, J. Familial Behaviour of Tilapia (Pisces, Cichlidae) and its Implications. Nature 217, 977 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1038/217977a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/217977a0
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