Sexual selection has long been proposed as a mechanism leading to the diverse cichlid
(Teleostei: Cichlidae) fauna of Lake Malawi, Africa. Many of the shallow-water, sand-dwelling,
bower-building cichlid species are particularly well suited for studies of sexual selection
because they participate in leks. Since females in lekking systems appear to acquire only
genetic material from their mates, it has been suggested that leks are ideal systems to
study female mate choice. The objectives of the investigation were to examine Lethrinops
c.f. [sic] parvidens male bower characteristics (i.e., bower size and location) as well
as other male characteristics (i.e., length, gular color and duration on the lek) for their
influence on male mating success as measured by the number of visits, circles, and eggs laid
by females. These measures are nested in that a visit by a female may or may not lead to
circling, and circling by a female may or may not lead to egg-laying. We found increased bower
height and higher numbers of conspecific neighbors (analogous to shallow-water, near-shore
bower positions) to be positively, significantly associated with the number of visits: by
females. The only significant correlate with the number of circles was visits, and similarly
circles was the only significant correlate with the number of eggs laid. The R2
value for the egg-laying regression was quite low (19.8%) compared with visits (54.3%) and
circling (78.9%), suggesting that females may be using additional cues, that we failed to
measure, when in close proximity to males or simply that a small proportion of the females
were ready to spawn. Both indirect selection and direct selection pressure due to egg
predation may have influenced female choice on the lek.