Cleaning behavior in the cyprinodontid fishes:Fundulus majalis, Cyprinodon variegatus, and Lucania parva

Cleaning behavior was observed in the laboratory among cyprinodontid fishes parasitized with monogenetic trematodes and leeches. Fundulas majalis elicited cleaning behavior from Cyprinodon variegatus by, assuming a head-down position with compensatory fin movements. In a high intensity display the host may be completely vertical with an S-shaped curve to the body. When picked at by the cleaner, the host may jerk and swim away but often returns to pose again in the invitation position. Cyprinodon variegatus and Lucania parva were observed to clean intraspecifically. In each case the invitation to be cleaned consists of a head-up pose with compensatory fin movements. Occasionally intraspecific soliciting of cleaning occurs. Cyprinodon variegatus also cleans L. parva. These invitation poses may have evolved from intraspecific appeasement or submissive postures to serve for interspecific communication.