Sexual Signalling And Parental Care: A Life-History Perspective

Abstract

I will use a fish, the Australian desert goby, to gain pivotal insights into male reproductive investment. Under-appreciated as potential study subjects, desert gobies are ideal because males must make important reproductive decisions regarding how much effort to spend on mate attraction and parental care but, importantly, they must do so within the constraints imposed by desert-living. The likely impact of my work in the field of behavioural ecology will improve Australia's research capacity and profile. By using an Australian study species, my research will also raise awareness and understanding of extraordinary fishes living in habitats vulnerable to human impact.