scholarly journals Zebrafish cooperate while inspecting predators: experimental evidence for conditional approach

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Flavia Nogueira Pimentel ◽  
Monica Gomes Lima-Maximino ◽  
Marta Candeias Soares ◽  
Caio Maximino

Different fish species employ a conditional approach strategy during predator inspection; the risk of approaching a predator is distributed across all inspectors, but is not shared with the animals which keep its distance. Zebrafish, a highly social fish, is increasingly being used in behavioural neuroscience, but it is not known whether it displays conditional approach. In the predator inspection task, animals are observed in a tank with a refuge in one extremity, and an animated image of a predator in the other extremity, with a mirror positioned in parallel to the tank, simulating a perfectly reciprocating conspecific. In Experiment 1, animals spent more time in an inspection zone when the image was turned on, but also displayed more erratic swimming, suggesting cooperation under fear. In Experiment 2, animals spent more time inspecting predators when the mirror was parallel to the tank ("cooperating mirror") than when the mirror was in an angle ("defecting mirror"), suggesting retaliatory behaviour; in both conditions, animals displayed more freezing and erratic swimming. In Experiment 3, no changes in behaviour were observed, regardless of mirror position, when the image was turned off, suggesting that the choice of specific zones in Experiment 2 was not due to shoaling tendencies. These results suggest that predator inspection is associated with conditional approach, while at the same time inducing fear-like behaviour in the animal.

2021 ◽  
Vol 177 ◽  
pp. 59-68
Author(s):  
Ana Flávia Nogueira Pimentel ◽  
Monica Gomes Lima-Maximino ◽  
Marta Candeias Soares ◽  
Caio Maximino

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvina Montrul

One of the chief characteristics of heritage speakers is that they range in proficiency from “overhearers” to “native” speakers. To date, the vast majority of linguistic and psycholinguistic studies have characterized the non-target-like linguistic abilities of heritage speakers as a product of incomplete acquisition and/or attrition due to reduced exposure and opportunities to use the language during childhood. This article focuses on the other side of the problem, emphasizing instead the high incidence of native-like abilities in adult heritage speakers. I illustrate this issue with recent experimental evidence from gender agreement in Spanish, a grammatical feature that is mastered at almost 100% accuracy in production by native speakers;yet it is one of the most difficult areas to master for non-native speakers, including near-natives.I discuss how age of acquisition and language-learning experience explain these effects.


2013 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 1149-1156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Y. Fujimoto ◽  
Mikaelle S. Neves ◽  
Ruda F.B. Santos ◽  
Natalino C. Souza ◽  
Marcia V.S. do Couto ◽  
...  

A total of 281 specimens of freshwater armored ornamental fish species (Leporacanthicus galaxias, Lasiancistrus saetiger, Cochliodon sp., Hypostomus sp., Pseudacanthicus spinosus, Ancistrus sp. and Rineloricaria cf. lanceolata) were captured at the hydrological basin of Guamá River, Pará, Brazil. The infection by Trypanosoma spp. was inspected. The morphological and morphometric characterization of the parasites and the hematological parameters were determined. Leporacanthicus galaxias and Pseudacanthicus spinosus presented 100% infection prevalence, and the other species showed a variable prevalence of infection. The parasites showed clearly different morphotypes and dimensions, and probably belong to different species. The hematological response to the infection varied with the host. Cochliodon sp. showed no differences between infected and not infected fish. In other species several modifications on some hematological parameters were found, but apparently without causing disease. It is emphasized the possibility of introduction of the parasites in new environments due to the artificial movements of these ornamental fish.


1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (6) ◽  
pp. 869-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfredo Mayall Simas ◽  
Joseph Miller ◽  
Petrônio Filgueiras de Athayade Filho

We have evaluated the experimental evidence relevant to the structure and character of mesoionic compounds, accumulated for more than 100 years and including X-ray diffraction studies. We have also evaluated relevant theoretical studies. All these, including our own extensive work, lead us to conclude that mesoionic compounds are not aromatic. According to our recent definition “mesoionic compounds are planar five-membered heterocyclic betaines with at least one side chain whose α-atom is also in the ring plane and with dipole moments of the order of 5 D. Electrons are delocalized over two regions separated by what are essentially single bonds. One region, which includes the a-atom of the side chain is associated with the HOMO and negative π-charge whereas the other is associated with the LUMO and positive π-charge.” Key words: mesoionic compounds, betaines, aromaticity.


Parasitology ◽  
1941 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth M. Smith

Extracts of caterpillars and other insects are shown to inhibit the infective power of tobacco mosaic and tobacco necrosis viruses. The inhibitor is not sedimented after spinning for 2½ hr. at 30,000 r.p.m. Experiments with non-vector insects such as caterpillars have shown that the virus of sugar-beet curly-top, of tobacco ringspot and other viruses, are destroyed within the body of the insect. On the other hand, tobacco mosaic virus passes through the body of the caterpillar unchanged though greatly reduced in concentration. By the use of the specific insect vector and artificial feeding methods it was possible to recover the virus of curly-top 24 hr. after it had been injected into the blood of the caterpillar but the viruses of tobacco mosaic and tobacco necrosis could not be so recovered. Experimental evidence is given to show that the virus of beet curly-top is present in the saliva of viruliferous insects.


2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALBERT COSTA ◽  
MIREIA HERNÁNDEZ ◽  
MARCO CALABRIA

At the outset of her article Valian (2014) advocates for the existence of an effect of bilingualism on executive control (EC). She is commended for being very clear about her position. She argues that: “There is a benefit of bilingualism for executive function, but that benefit competes with other benefits that both mono- and bilinguals have to varying degrees. Depending on the composition of each group in any given experiment, the other benefits may be more plentiful in the monolingual than bilingual group (or sufficiently plentiful in both groups), so that the benefits of bilingualism are invisible. This is the possibility that I favor.”


1963 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 245-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Kaudewitz ◽  
K. Moebus ◽  
H. Kneser

Cells of E. coli incubated in nitrous acid give rise 1. to unchanged wildtype colonies, 2. to colonies composed of wildtype and auxotrophic cells and 3. to colonies consisting of auxotrophic cells only. The mixed colonies are considered to originate from single cells each of them harbouring hybrid DNA with one subunit, probably a sisterstrand, changed by deamination of a cytosine or adenine, the other one with unchanged wildtype composition. In cells producing type 3 colonies this wildtype strand is mutated lethally by a separate deamination of a cytosine or adenine. A mathematical treatment of this hypothesis leads to predictions which are in good agreement with experimental evidence. The data obtained are used for an estimation of the number of gene-loci of E. coli.


2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1897) ◽  
pp. 20182625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Svanbäck ◽  
Frank Johansson

Increased eye size in animals results in a larger retinal image and thus improves visual acuity. Thus, larger eyes should aid both in finding food as well as detecting predators. On the other hand, eyes are usually very conspicuous and several studies have suggested that eye size is associated with predation risk. However, experimental evidence is scant. In this study, we address how predation affects variation in eye size by performing two experiments using Eurasian perch juveniles as prey and either larger perch or pike as predators. First, we used large outdoor tanks to compare selection due to predators on relative eye size in open and artificial vegetated habitats. Second, we studied the effects of both predation risk and resource levels on phenotypic plasticity in relative eye size in indoor aquaria experiments. In the first experiment, we found that habitat altered selection due to predators, since predators selected for smaller eye size in a non-vegetated habitat, but not in a vegetated habitat. In the plasticity experiment, we found that fish predators induced smaller eye size in males, but not in females, while resource levels had no effect on eye size plasticity. Our experiments provide evidence that predation risk could be one of the driving factors behind variation in eye size within species.


1954 ◽  
Vol 1954 ◽  
pp. 83-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. L. Mason

There are two schools of thought concerning the most appropriate environment in which to select breeding animals. One says ‘ Always select animals under environmental conditions similar to those where they are to be used ‘. The other says ‘ Select breeding animals in the optimum environment so that they have the best chance of revealing their genetic capabilities ‘. Experiments on growth of laboratory mice and experience with European cattle in the tropics have shown the advisability of the first course in these cases. In regard to hill sheep and dairy cattle in Britain, on the other hand, practice favours the second course, but there is little experimental evidence to support it.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document