Contribution à l'éthologie des poissons cichlides : comportement agonistique chez Astatotilapia brownae (Greenwood, 1 962), lac Victoria

The agonistic behaviour of Astatotilapia brownae (endemic species of cichlid teleost in lake Victoria) was studied. Three different colored patterns were observed. Each of them was shown to correspond to an individual motivation condition. When analysed, the agonistic behaviour appeared to include five distinct movements. The temporal association of the behaviour sequences was approached 1° by a diagram description of the sequences and 2° by quantifying the relationships between them using the statistics x2 method. Despite a reduced series of coloration pattems , A. brownae may be characterized by a highly developped ritualisation of its agonistic behaviour. By comparison with other cichlid species (different geographic origin and,/or different reproduction strategy), the present work allows better and more complete characterizarion of A. brownae.