The role of serotonin in modulating social competence in a cooperatively breeding fish

1. Behavioural interactions between conspecifics rely on the appreciation of social cues, which is achieved through biochemical switching of pre-existing neurophysiological pathways. Serotonin is one of the major neurotransmitters in the central nervous system responsible for the modulation of physiological and behavioural traits, in particular social behaviour. The importance of serotonin for the ability to optimise ones social behaviour depending on available social information, that is, social competence, is yet unknown. Here we investigate how serotonin and the serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT 1A ) modulate social competence in a competitive context. In the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher , we pharmacologically manipulated the serotonin availability and 5-HT 1A activity to test their effects on social behaviours during an asymmetric contest between the owner of a defended territory containing shelter and an intruder devoid of a territory. In this contest, the adequate response by the intruders, the focal individuals in our study, is to show submissive behaviour in order to avoid eviction from the vicinity of the shelter. While the serotonin enhancer Fluoxetine did not affect the frequency of submission towards territory owners, reducing serotonin by a low dosage of 4-Chloro-DL-phenylalanine (PCPA) increased submissive behaviour. Furthermore, threat displays towards territory owners were reduced at high dosages of Fluoxetine and also at the lowest dosage of PCPA. 5-HT 1A activation increased threat displays by intruders, indicating that this receptor may not be involved in regulating social competence. We conclude that serotonin, but not its receptor 5-HT 1A plays an important role in the regulation of social competence.