PD Dr. Timo Thünken
Evolutionary Behavioural Ecology
I am mainly interested in functions and mechanisms of kin discrimination. In particular, my research focuses on kin recognition mechanisms and the operation of kin selection in different contexts ranging from juvenile shoaling over intra-sexual competition to mate-choice and parental care. As model system I use Pelvicachromis taeniatus, a socially monogamous cichlid fish with intense biparental brood care from West Africa. The unusual kin mating preferences in this species provide the possibility to examine the ecological and genetic requirements for adaptive inbreeding. In this context, also levels of inbreeding in natural populations using microsatellites are estimated.
A further research focus lies on the function of (especially female) conspicuous body colouration in sexual selection and the evolution of sperm traits in Pelvicachromis taeniatus.
Moreover, I am interested in predator-induced behavioural and
morphological plasticity (based on chemical cues) as well as in
host/parasitic interactions in gammarids and their acanthocephalan
parasites.
Thünken Lab - Evolutionary Behavioral Ecology of Cichlid Fishes
Current lab members (2022)
- Timo Thünken (group leader)
- Isabell Pfankuchen (Master OEP, free module, 2022, Feb)
- Marcellina Rola (Master OEP, free module, 2022, Feb)
- Leonie Gussone (Master OEP, free module, 2022, Feb)
- Elias Fritzsche (Bachelor Biology)
- Elisabeth Gaertner (Bachelor Biology)
- Yeliz Eroglu (Bachelor Biology, Projektarbeit, 2022, May)
- Marie Holtmann (Bachelor Biology)
- Ulas Okuducu (Bachelor Biology)
- Anna Günther (Bachelor Biology)
- Hannah Beck (Bachelor Biology)
Previous lab members
2022
- Simon Vitt (Postdoc)
2021
- Zeynep Oğuzhan (Master OEP, 2021 Oct, shared supervision with A. Böhne, ZFMK)
- Shannon Douglas (Master OEP, 2021 Aug)
- Vanessa Trausch (Bachelor Biology, 2021 Sept)
- Anna Hüllen (Bachelor Biology, 2021 Sept)
- Alexander Keller (Bachelor Biology, 2021 Sept)
- Christina Bakowski (Bachelor Biology, 2021Jun)
- Rieke Schons (Master OEP, 2021 Mar)
2020
- Iris Madge Pimentel (Master OEP, 2020 Aug)
- Lisa Nennstiel (Bachelor Biology, 2020 Mar)
- Lina Read (Bachelor Biology, 2020 Aug)
- Lilith Frings (Bachelor Biology, 2020 Sep)
- Dr. Denis Meuthen (DFG Rückkehrstipendiat)
- Barbara Schiffer (Master OEP, 2019 Oct)
- Leonie John (Master OEP, 2019 Sep)
- Melissa Karthe (Bachelor Biology, 2019 Sep)
- Janosch Diederich (Bachelor Biology, 2019 Sep)
- Sophia Fiegel (Bachelor Biology, 2019 Sep)
- Jenny Hiller (Master of Education, 2019 Jan)
- Ndubuisi Durueke (Master OEP, 2018 Oct)
- Rieke Schons (Bachelor Biology, 2018 Sep)
- Christine Jakubassa (Bachelor Biology, 2018 Sep)
- Natalie Kurtys (Bachelor Biology, 2018 Sep)
- Meike Kurth (Master OEP, 2017 Jun)
- Tamara Gademann (Bachelor Biology, 2017 Aug)
- Tina Jung (Bachelor Biology, 2017 Sep)
Current cooperation partners
- Dr. Ingolf Rick, University of Bonn
- PD Dr. Joachim Frommen, Metropolitan University of Manchester (UK)
- Dr. Julia Schwarzer, ZFMK, Bonn
- PD Dr. Fabian Herder, ZFMK, Bonn
- Dr. Astrid Boehne, ZFMK, Bonn
- Dr. Ulrike Scherer, Universität Hamburg
Research projects on P. taeniatus
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Ongoing: Inbreeding as driving force in evolution (DFG grant to T. Thünken)
Head: Dr. Timo Thünken
See current lab members
-
Causes and consequences of predator-induced phenotypic plasticity
(DFG grant to T. Bakker, T. Thünken, S. Baldauf)
Heads: Prof. Theo Bakker and Dr. Timo Thünken
PhD student: Denis Meuthen
Master students: Natalie Müller
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Ecology of kin-biased behaviour (DFG grant to T. Thünken)
Head: Dr. Timo Thünken
PhD student: Saskia Hesse (PhD supervisor: Prof. Theo Bakker)
Master students: Sarah Schroers, Jaime Mauricio Anaya-Rojas
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Impact of genetic relatedness and female coloration on mutual mate choice in Pelvicachromis taeniatus (Cichlidae) III (DFG grant to T. Bakker and H. Kullmann)
Head: Prof. Theo Bakker
Project coordination: Dr. Timo Thünken (Post Doc)
Post Doc: Dr. Sebastian Baldauf
PhD students: Sebastian Baldauf, Kathrin Langen
Master students: Kathrin Langen, Saskia Hesse, Denis Meuthen, Stephanie Schroth, Janine Schmidt, Tobias Ottenheym
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Impact of genetic relatedness and female coloration on mutual mate choice in Pelvicachromis taeniatus (Cichlidae), phase I+II (DFG grant to T. Bakker and H. Kullmann)
Heads: Prof. Theo Bakker and Dr. Harald Kullmann
PhD student/establishment of P. taeniatus as model system: Timo Thünken
Master students: Sebastian Baldauf, Nadine Waltschyk
Publications
- Gussone, L., Hüllen, A., Vitt, S., Scherer, U. & Thünken, T.
Imapct of genetic relatedness on reproductive behaviour in
Pelvicachromis pulcher, a biparental cichlid fish with mutual choice and
ornamentation. The Science of Nature,
- Böhne, A., Oğuzhan, Z., Vitt, S., Meuthen, D., Martin, S., Kukowa, S. & Thünken, T. Evidence for selfing in a vertebrate from whole-genome sequencing. Genome Research,
- Thünken, T., Frommen, J.G., Baldauf, S.A., Schons, R.F., Karthe, M.J. & Vitt, S. Ecology of sexual conflict over care: Environmental variation and relatedness affect parental cooperation in a biparental cichlid fish. Communications Biology
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Thünken, T., Vitt, S. & Diederich, J. Genetic relatedness promotes parental cooperation in a biparental cichlid fish. Evolution,
- Vitt, S., Jakubassa, C.F., Baldauf, S. & Thünken, T.
Context-specific responses of a cichlid fish to computer-animated images
presented on a tablet-computer. Manuscript ready for re-submission.
- Vitt, S., Schons, R.F., Keller, A.J.R. & Thünken, T. (2022)
Inbreeding affects juvenile shoaling behaviour in sibling groups of a
cichlid fish. Hydrobiologia, published online.
- Vitt, S., Bakowski, C.E. & Thünken, T. (2022) Sex-specific effects of inbreeding on body colouration and physiological colour change in the cichlid fish Pelvicachromis taeniatus. BMC Ecology and Evolution 22: 124.
- Madge Pimentel, I., Vitt, S.& Thünken, T. (2022)
Impact of genetic relatedness and food competition on female dominance
hierarchies in a cichlid fish. Animal Behaviour 184: 55-70.
- Schons, R.F., Vitt, S. & Thünken, T. (2022) Resource
heterogeneity but not inbreeding affect growth and grouping behaviour in
socially foraging juvenile cichlid fish. Functional Ecology, 36:
550-560.
- Frommen, J.G., Thünken, T., Santostefano, F., Balzarini,
V. & Hettyey, A. (2022) Effects of chronic and acute predation risk
on sexual ornamentation and mating preferences. Behavioral Ecology, 33:
7-16.
- Schons, R.F., Vitt, S. & Thünken, T. (2021) Environmental habituation and sexual composition affect juveniles' shoaling activity in a cichlid fish (Pelvicachromis taeniatus). Journal of Fish Biology, 99:1307-1317.
- Freudiger, A., Josi, D., Thünken, T., Herder, F., Flury, J.M., Marques, D.A., Taborsky, M. & Frommen, J.G. (2021) Ecological variation drives morphological differentiation in a highly social vertebrate. Functional Ecology, 35: 2266-2281.
- John, L., Rick I.P., Vitt, S. & Thünken, T. (2021) Body coloration as a dynamic signal during intrasexual communication in a cichlid fish. BMC Zoology 6, 9.
- Meuthen, D., Meuthen, I., Bakker T.C.M. & Thünken, T. (2020). Anticipatory plastic response of the cellular immune system in the face of future injury: Chronic high perceived predation risk induces lymphocytosis in a cichlid fish. Oecologia 194: 597-607.
- Vitt, S., Hiller, J. & Thünken, T. (2020). Intrasexual selection: Kin competition increases male-male territorial aggression in a monogamous cichlid fish. Ecol. Evol. 10: 11183-11191.
- Vitt, S., Madge Pimentel, I. & Thünken, T. (2020). Presence of same-sex kin promotes explorative behavior in subadult cichlid fish. Behav. Ecol. 31:731-738.
- Thünken, T., Hesse, S. & Meuthen, D. (2020). Increased levels of perceived competition decrease juvenile kin-shoaling preferences in a cichlid fish. Am. Nat. 195: 868 - 875.
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Meuthen, D., Baldauf, S.A., Bakker T.C.M. & Thünken, T. (2019). High perceived predation risk during development affects mutual mate choice in a cichlid fish. Anim. Behav. 158: 227-237.
- Meuthen, D., Bakker T.C.M. & Thünken, T. (2019) Predatory developmental environments shape loser behaviour in animal contests. Behaviour 156: 1519–1532.
- Hesse, S., Sandmann, S., Bakker, T.C.M. & Thünken, T. (2019). Impact of social rearing-environment on performance in a complex maze in females of a cichlid fish. Behav. Process. 167: 103915.
- Thünken, T., Baldauf, S.A., Bersau, N., Frommen, J.G. & Bakker, T.C.M. (2019). Parasite-induced colour alteration of intermediate hosts increases ingestion by suitable final host species. Behaviour 156: 1329–1348.
- Langen, K, Thünken, T., Klemm, J, Sandmann, S. & Bakker, T.C.M. (2019). Sperm size is negatively related to relative testis size in West African riverine cichlid fishes. Sci. Nat. 106: 30.
- Thünken, T., Rick, I. P., & Frommen, J.G. (2018). Contributions in honour of Theo CM Bakker: Testing, not guessing. Evol. Ecol. Res. 19: 477-486.
- Meuthen, D., Flege, P., Brandt, R., & Thünken, T. (2018). The location of damage-released alarm cues in a cichlid fish. Evol. Ecol. Res. 19: 517-527.
- Thünken, T., Vitt, S., Baldauf, S.A., Jung, T., & Frommen, J.G. (2018). Individual behavioural responses of an intermediate host to a manipulative acanthocephalan parasite and the effects of intra-specific parasite competition. Evol. Ecol. Res. 19: 487-501.
- Mehlis-Rick, M., Thünken, T., Krings, M., Käfer, S., & Rick, I. P. (2018). Cerebral lateralization and quantity discrimination abilities in the threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Evol. Ecol. Res. 19: 477-486.
- Meuthen, D., Baldauf, S. A., Bakker, T. C. M. & Thünken, T. (2018). Neglected patterns of variation in phenotypic plasticity: Age- and sex-specific antipredator plasticity in a cichlid fish. Am. Nat.191: 475-590.
- Langen, K., Bakker, T. C. M., Baldauf, S.A., Shrestha, J. & Thünken, T. (2017). Effects of aging and inbreeding on the reproductive traits in a cichlid fish I: the male perspective. Biol. J. Linn. Soc.120: 752-761.
- Langen, K., Bakker, T. C. M., Baldauf, S.A., Shrestha, J. & Thünken, T. (2017). Effects of aging and inbreeding on the reproductive traits in a cichlid fish II: the female perspective. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 120: 762-770.
- Bakker, T. C. M., Frommen, J. G. & Thünken, T. (2017). Adaptive parasitic manipulation as exemplified by acanthocephalans. Ethology 123: 779-784.
- Meuthen, D., Baldauf S. A., Bakker, T. C. M. & Thünken, T. (2016). Conspecific alarm cues affect interspecific aggression in cichlid fishes. Hydrobiologia 767: 37-49.
- Hesse, S., Bakker, T. C. M., Baldauf, S. A. & Thünken, T. (2016). Impact of social environment on inter- and intra-sexual selection in a cichlid fish with mutual mate choice. Anim. Behav. 111: 85-92.
- Thünken, T., Hesse, S., Bakker, T. C. M. & Baldauf, S. A. (2016). Benefits of kin shoaling in a cichlid fish: familiar and related juveniles show better growth. Behav. Ecol. 27: 419-425.
- Meuthen, D., Baldauf S. A., Bakker, T. C. M. & Thünken, T. (2016). Predator-induced neophobia in juvenile cichlids. Oecologia 181: 947-958.
- Hesse, S., Anaya-Rojas J. M., Frommen, J. G. & Thünken, T. (2015). Kinship reinforces cooperative predator inspection in a cichlid fish. J. Evol. Biol. 28: 2088–2096.
- Frommen, J. G., Hanak, S., Schmidl, C. A. & Thünken, T. (2015). Visible Implant Elastomer tagging influences social preferences of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Behaviour 152: 1765–1777.
- Mehlis, M., Thünken, T., Bakker, T. C. M. & Frommen, J. G. (2015). Quantification acuity in spontaneous shoaling decisions of three-spined sticklebacks. Anim. Cogn. 18: 1125-1131.
- Hesse, S., Anaya-Rojas, J. M., Frommen, J. G. & Thünken, T. (2015). Social deprivation affects cooperative predator inspection in a cichlid fish. Roy. Soc. Open Sci. 2: 140451.
- Hesse, S. & Thünken, T. (2014). Growth and social behavior in a cichlid fish are affected by social rearing environment and kinship. Naturwissenschaften 101: 273–283.
- Thünken, T., Eigster, M. & Frommen, J. G. (2014). Context-dependent group size preferences in large shoals of three-spined stickleback. Anim. Behav. 90: 205-210.
- Thünken, T., Bakker, T. C. M. & Baldauf, S. A. (2014). “Armpit effect” in an African cichlid fish: self-referent kin recognition in mating decisions of male Pelvicachromis taeniatus. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 68: 99-104.
- Langen, K., Thünken, T. & Bakker, T. C. M. (2013). No experimental evidence for sneaking behaviour in a West African cichlid with extremely long sperm. Int. J. Evol. Biol. 2013: 714304.
- Baldauf, S. A., Engqvist, L., Ottenheym, T., Bakker, T. C. M. & Thünken, T. (2013). Sex-specific conditional mating preferences in a cichlid fish: implications for sexual conflict. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 67: 1179-1186.
- Meuthen, D., Rick, I.P., Thünken, T. & Baldauf S. A. (2012). Visual prey detection by near-infrared cues in a fish. Naturwissenschaften 99: 1063-1066.
- Meuthen, D., Baldauf S. A. & Thünken, T. (2012). Evolution of alarm cues: a role for kin selection?. F1000 Research 1: 27.
- Hesse, S., Bakker, T. C. M., Baldauf, S. A. & Thünken, T. (2012). Kin recognition by phenotype matching is family-rather than self-referential in juvenile cichlid fish. Anim. Behav. 84: 451-457.
- Thünken, T., Meuthen, D., Bakker, T. C. M. & Baldauf, S. A. (2012). A sex-specific trade-off between mating preferences for genetic compatibility and body size in a cichlid fish with mutual mate choice. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B. 279: 2959-2964.
- Langen, K., Schwarzer, J., Kullmann, H., Bakker, T. C. M. & Thünken, T. (2011). Microsatellite support for active inbreeding in a cichlid fish. PLoS One 6: e24689.
- Meuthen, D., Baldauf, S. A., Bakker, T. C. M. & Thünken, T. (2011). Substrate-treated water: A method to enhance fish activity in laboratory experiments. Aquatic Biol. 13: 35-40.
- Baldauf, S. A., Kullmann, H., Bakker, T. C. M. & Thünken, T. (2011). Female nuptial coloration and its adaptive significance in a mutual mate choice system. Beh. Ecol. 22: 478-485.
- Thünken, T., Baldauf, S. A., Kullmann, H., Schuld, J., Hesse, S. & Bakker, T. C. M. (2011). Size-related inbreeding preference and competitiveness in male Pelvicachromis taeniatus (Cichlidae). Beh. Ecol. 22: 358–362.
- Frommen, J. G. , Herder, F., Engqvist, L., Mehlis, M., Bakker, T. C. M., Schwarzer, J. & Thünken, T. (2011). Costly plastic morphological responses to predator specific odour cues in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Evol. Ecol. 25: 641-656.
- Baldauf, S. A., Bakker, T. C. M., Herder, F., Kullmann, H. & Thünken, T. (2010). Male mate choice scales female ornament allometry in a cichlid fish. BMC Evol. Biol. 10: 301.
- Thünken, T., Baldauf, S. A., Bersau, N., Bakker, T. C. M., Kullmann, H. & Frommen, J. G. (2010). Impact of olfactory non-host predator cues on aggregation behaviour and activity in Polymorphus minutus infected Gammarus pulex. Hydrobiologia 654: 137-145.
- Thünken, T., Meuthen, D., Bakker, T. C. M. & Kullmann, H. (2010). Parental investment in relation to offspring quality in the biparental cichlid fish, Pelvicachromis taeniatus. Anim. Behav. 80: 69-74.
- Baldauf, S. A., Kullmann, H., Schroth, S. H., Thünken, T. & Bakker, T. C. M. (2009). You can't always get what you want: size assortative mating by mutual mate choice as a resolution of sexual conflict. BMC Evol. Biol. 9: 129.
- Baldauf, S. A., Kullmann, H., Thünken, T., Winter, S. & Bakker, T. C. M. (2009). Computer animation as a tool to study preferences in the cichlid fish Pelvicachromis taeniatus. J. Fish Biol. 75: 738–746.
- Thünken, T., Bakker, T. C. M., Waltschyk, N. & Kullmann, H. (2009). Olfactory self-recognition in a cichlid fish. Anim. Cogn. 12: 717-724.
- Kullmann, H., Thünken, T., Baldauf, S. A., Bakker, T. C. M. & Frommen, J. G. (2008). Fish odour triggers conspecific attraction behavior in an aquatic invertebrate. Biol. Lett. 4: 458-460.
- Thünken, T., Bakker, T. C. M., Baldauf, S.A. & Kullmann, H. (2007). Direct familiarity does not alter mating preferences for sisters in male Pelvicachromis taeniatus (Cichlidae). Ethology 113: 1107-1112.
- Thünken, T., Bakker, T. C. M. & Kullmann, H. (2007). Extraordinarily long sperm in the socially monogamous cichlid fish Pelvicachromis taeniatus. Naturwissenschaften 94: 489-491.
- Thünken, T., Bakker, T. C. M., Baldauf, S. A. & Kullmann, H. (2007). Active inbreeding in a cichlid fish and its adaptive significance. Curr. Biol. 17: 225-229.
- Baldauf, S. A., Thünken, T., Frommen, J. G., Bakker, T. C. M., Heupel, O. & Kullmann, H. (2007). Infection with an acanthocephalan manipulates an amphipod's reaction to a fish predator's odours. Int. J. Parasitol. 37: 61-65.
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Academic qualifications
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Habilitation (venia legendi for Zoology) |
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Diploma thesis: |
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