Aggression, sexual selection, and neuroendocrine regulation in Betta splendens: an integrative mini-review
April 27, 2026
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| Article Title: | Aggression, sexual selection, and neuroendocrine regulation in Betta splendens: an integrative mini-review |
| Authors: | Petrescu-Mag I.V. |
| Affiliation: | Department of Environmental Engineering and Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania Bioflux SRL, 400488 Cluj-Napoca, Romania Doctoral School of Engineering Science, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania WABBA International Bodybuilding and Fitness LTD, E11 1HT London, United Kingdom |
| Abstract: | The genus Betta comprises a diverse group of Southeast Asian freshwater fishes exhibiting remarkable variation in ecology, reproductive strategies, and behavior. Among them, Betta splendens has emerged as a key model for studying aggression and sexual selection. This mini-review synthesizes current knowledge on the behavioral, endocrine, and genetic mechanisms underlying aggression in B. splendens, emphasizing its role as both a territorial and sexually selected trait. Evidence indicates that aggression is modulated by environmental conditions, developmental context, and domestication history, with strong links to endocrine pathways involving cortisol and 11-ketotestosterone. Artificial selection for fighting has further shaped aggressive phenotypes, revealing shared genetic architectures across sexes and highlighting the plasticity of this trait. Additionally, aggression is intricately connected to courtship and mate choice, where females prefer males exhibiting optimal combinations of dominance, coloration, and controlled aggression. Genomic and transcriptomic studies support a polygenic basis for aggression, involving neuroactive signaling and steroid-related pathways. Overall, B. splendens represents a powerful model for understanding the co-evolution of aggression and sexual selection across multiple biological levels, from gene expression to complex behavior. |
| Keywords: | aggression, neuroendocrinology, cortisol, 11-ketotestosterone, artificial selection, domestication, mate choice, behavioral ecology, genomics. |
| *Correspondence: | Ioan Valentin Petrescu-Mag, Department of Environmental Engineering and Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Mănăștur street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Tel. +40-744470794, Fax. +40-264593792, email: ioan.mag@usamvcluj.ro |
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