scholarly journals Urine as a source of conspecific disturbance signals in the crayfish Procambarus clarkii

2000 ◽  
Vol 203 (4) ◽  
pp. 765-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. Zulandt Schneider ◽  
P.A. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Procambarus Clarkii ◽  
Chemical Signals ◽  
Behavior Patterns ◽  
Behavioral State ◽  
Ecological Interactions ◽  
Test Arena ◽  
Stress Signals ◽  
Context Specific

Chemical signals are an important aspect of ecological interactions in crustacean systems. Repellent chemical signals can be classified into three context-specific categories: chemicals released directly from a repellent stimulus (avoidance chemicals), chemicals released from damaged conspecifics (alarm chemicals) and chemicals released from stressed but undamaged conspecifics (stress chemicals). Our study examines the existence and putative source of the stress signals in crayfish. We hypothesize that Procambarus clarkii can recognize stressed individuals through chemical signals and also that the source of the signal that provides P. clarkii with information on the behavioral state of the sender is the urine. We collected urine and gill water from stressed and non-stressed animals, and chemicals from damaged conspecifics. Chemical cues were introduced into a test arena while several behavior patterns of P. clarkii were recorded. Stressed crayfish produce significantly more urine than non-stressed crayfish, and this urine caused crayfish to walk significantly faster and farther and away from the source of the signal. These results demonstrate that predator-stressed crayfish release urine that causes other crayfish to move away from the source of the signal. Responses to stress chemical signals may allow receiving organisms to avoid the fate of the signal sender.

INDIVIDUAL AND STATUS RECOGNITION IN THE CRAYFISH, ORCONECTES RUSTICUS: THE EFFECTS OF URINE RELEASE ON FIGHT DYNAMICS

Behaviour ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 138 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Huber ◽  
Rebecca A. Zulandt Schneider ◽  
Paul Moore
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Social Recognition ◽  
Previous Experience ◽  
Behavioral Characteristics ◽  
Behavioral State ◽  
Dyadic Interactions ◽  
Agonistic Interactions ◽  
Present Communication ◽  
Status Recognition

AbstractThis study examined individual and status recognition in dyadic interactions between crayfish and determines how blocking the release of urine, a known source of chemical cues, may influence recognition. Behavioral characteristics of agonistic interactions were compared between crayfish pairs that fought each other previously (familiar) and pairs derived from individuals with past status history but no previous experience with one another (unfamiliar). To address the role of urine born chemical cues in recognition, fight dynamics were examined in urine blocked and non-blocked familiar and unfamiliar pairs. Our results indicate the existence of status recognition in crayfish as first fights were longer than second fights and the statistical interaction between fight number and familiar/unfamiliar treatment was similar. Urine cues play a role in social recognition in that fights are longer and more intense when urine cues are absent than when urine cues are present. Communication of behavioral state through urine appears to play an important role in the agonistic interactions of crayfish.

The shadow of the shell: a cue for a new home

2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (5) ◽  
pp. 1165-1169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monserrat Suárez-Rodríguez ◽  
Karla Kruesi ◽  
Guillermina Alcaraz
Keyword(s):  
Visual Perception ◽  
Hermit Crab ◽  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Chemical Signals ◽  
Hermit Crabs ◽  
The Real ◽  
Chemical Stimuli ◽  
Source Of Information ◽  
Intertidal Environments

AbstractHermit crabs use different senses to search for and find shells. In most cases, chemical cues have been proven to act as a very efficient way of finding new shells. However, in intertidal environments, the water transports chemical signals in different directions and velocities may make it harder to track the source of the cue, so visual stimuli may be a more precise source of information. The hermit crab Calcinus californiensis shows a preference for the biconical shells of Stramonita biserialis, although the crabs may also use the less preferred shell of Nerita scabricosta. We were interested in exploring if C. californiensis identify the preferred shell species through vision in the absence of chemical stimuli. We presented both shell species to hermit crabs in two different sets of experiments. In one experiment, we presented to the hermit crabs real shells of N. scabricosta and S. biserialis, and in another, we presented only the silhouettes of the same shells. The hermit crabs discriminated between the real shells and the silhouettes of N. scabricosta and S. biserialis. Females attended with higher frequency to real shells and silhouettes of S. biserialis; while males attended more to shells and silhouettes of N. scabricosta. Although, larger males biased their attendance toward shells of S. biserialis. Our results show that visual perception may be more important than we have thought in intertidal animals.

Chemical ecology of marine plankton

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 843-860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily R. Schwartz ◽  
Remington X. Poulin ◽  
Nazia Mojib ◽  
Julia Kubanek
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Ecology ◽  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Interspecific Interaction ◽  
Ecological Interactions ◽  
Marine Plankton ◽  
Ecosystem Level

A review of new studies from January 2013 to December 2014 covering chemically mediated ecological interactions in marine pelagic environments, including intraspecific and interspecific interaction, and ecosystem level effects of plankton chemical cues.

scholarly journals The importance of antennae for pea aphid wing induction in the presence of natural enemies

2005 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Kunert ◽  
W.W. Weisser
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Acyrthosiphon Pisum ◽  
Chemical Signals ◽  
Pea Aphid ◽  
Visual Signals ◽  
Wing Formation ◽  
Tactile Stimuli ◽  
Pea Aphids ◽  
General Response

AbstractThe pea aphidAcyrthosiphon pisumHarris has been shown to produce an increasing proportion of winged morphs among its offspring when exposed to natural enemies, in particular hoverfly larvae, lacewing larvae, adult and larval ladybirds and aphidiid parasitoids. While these results suggest that wing induction in the presence of predators and parasitoids is a general response of the pea aphid, the cues and mechanisms underlying this response are still unclear. Tactile stimuli and the perception of chemical signals as well as visual signals are candidates for suitable cues in the presence of natural enemies. In this paper the hypothesis that the aphids' antennae are crucial for the wing induction in the presence of natural enemies is tested. Antennae of pea aphids were ablated and morph production was scored when aphids were reared either in the presence or the absence of predatory lacewing larvae over a six-day period. Ablation of antennae resulted in a drastic drop in the proportion of winged morphs among the offspring, both in the presence and the absence of a predator whereas predator presence increased wing induction in aphids with intact antennae, as reported in previous experiments. The results show that antennae are necessary for wing induction in the presence of natural enemies. Critical re-examination of early work on the importance of aphid antennae and tactile stimuli for wing induction suggests that a combination of tactile and chemical cues is likely to be involved not only in predator-induced wing formation but also for wing induction in response to factors such as crowding in the aphid colony.

Chemically mediated effects of injured prey on behavior of both prey and predators

Behaviour ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 139 (5) ◽  
pp. 585-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley Dickey ◽  
Thomas McCarthy
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Procambarus Clarkii ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Refuge Use ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Mediated Effects ◽  
Prey Interaction ◽  
Crayfish Species

AbstractWe examined the behavioral responses of aquatic snails (prey) and two species of crayfish (predators) following exposure to chemical cues from injured snails. Snail survival rates and crayfish capture rates were compared between cued treatments and controls. Snails (Physa gyrina) responded to chemical cues by significantly increasing refuge use (i.e. moving to the waterline, floating or crawl-out behavior). Despite their responses, use of refugia did not influence survival rates. Crayfish species differed in their responses to these same chemicals. Orconectes juvenilis became more active (including increased movements across the substrate and reaching up sides of aquaria). In contrast, the activity levels of Procambarus clarkii did not significantly change. Nevertheless, P. clarkii captured snails in less time than O. juvenilis, regardless of whether injured-snail cue was present, and the presence of these cues did not significantly influence capture times for either crayfish species. This study provides strong evidence that injury-released chemical cues can elicit behavioral responses from both conspecific prey and their predators, but found no benefits of response for either prey or predators. The complex interplay of effects makes it difficult to draw simple, general insights about the benefits of the responses for either participant during a predator-prey interaction.

Asymmetric species specificity in reponses to female sexual pheromone by males of two species of Trichogaster (Pisces: Belontiidae)

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
pp. 1129-1134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff S. McKinnon ◽  
N. Robin Liley
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Chemical Signals ◽  
Species Specificity ◽  
Plain Water ◽  
Chemical Signal ◽  
Congeneric Species ◽  
Sexual Pheromone ◽  
Male Response ◽  
Signal Functions

We examined the species specificity of the responses to female pheromones by males of Trichogaster trichopterus, the blue gourami, and Trichogaster pectoralis, the snakeskin gourami, sympatric belontiids from Southeast Asia. Using only chemical signals, males of both species discriminated between ripe females and nonripe females, suggesting that the female chemical signal functions in reproduction. Trichogaster trichopterus males also discriminated between and nonripe females and plain water. Two different experimental procedures showed that male T. pectoralis discriminated between chemical cues from conspecific and heterospecific females while male T. trichopterus did not. This asymmetric specificity of male response is consistent with the ecological histories of the experimental stocks. Trichogaster trichopterus used in these experiments came from a population historically isolated from congeneric species, while T. pectoralis came from a population originally sympatic with three congeners.

scholarly journals The use of chemical and visual cues in female choice in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana

2007 ◽  
Vol 274 (1611) ◽  
pp. 845-851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Costanzo ◽  
Antónia Monteiro
Keyword(s):  
Female Choice ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Chemical Signals ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Bicyclus Anynana ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Multiple Cues ◽  
The Past ◽  
Close Range

Investigating the relative importance of multiple cues for mate choice within a species may highlight possible mechanisms that led to the diversification of closely related species in the past. Here, we investigate the importance of close-range pheromones produced by male Bicyclus anynana butterflies and determine the relative importance of these chemical cues versus visual cues in sexual selection by female choice. We first blocked putative androconial organs on the fore- and hindwings of males, while also manipulating the ability of females to perceive chemical signals via their antenna. We found that male chemical signals were emitted by both fore- and hindwing pairs and that they play an important role in female choice. We subsequently tested the relative importance of these chemical cues versus visual cues, previously identified for this species, and found that they play an equally important role in female choice in our laboratory setting. In addition, females will mate with males with only one signal present and blocking both androconial organs on males seems to interfere with male to male recognition. We discuss the possible functions of these signals and how this bimodal system may be used in intra- and interspecific mate evaluation.

Dominance hierarchy formation in juvenile crayfish procambarus clarkii

1999 ◽  
Vol 202 (24) ◽  
pp. 3497-3506 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.A. Issa ◽  
D.J. Adamson ◽  
D.H. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Positive Feedback ◽  
Social Dominance ◽  
Dominance Hierarchy ◽  
Procambarus Clarkii ◽  
Behavior Patterns ◽  
Dominance Hierarchies ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Hierarchy Formation ◽  
High Dominance ◽  
Low Levels

The formation of social dominance hierarchies was studied in groups of five juvenile crayfish, 1.3-1.8 cm in length. Animals were grouped together in a small, featureless aquarium after having lived in isolation for more than a month. The occurrence of each of four behavior patterns (‘attack’, ‘approach’, ‘retreat’ and ‘escape’) was recorded for each animal, together with the frequency of encounters and the frequency of wins and losses. The frequencies of wins and losses were used to calculate the relative dominance value of each animal in the group. High levels of fighting developed immediately upon grouping the animals, and a positive feedback relationship between attacking and winning enabled one animal in each group to emerge quickly as the superdominant. If that animal was the largest, it remained as the superdominant; otherwise, it was replaced as superdominant within the first few days by the largest animal. This form of dominance hierarchy, with one superdominant and four subordinates, persisted throughout the duration of the grouping. Fighting declined over the first hour and by 24 h had dropped to low levels. After the first day, approaches were used together with attacks, and retreats replaced escapes. Attack and approach were the behavior patterns displayed most frequently by animals with high dominance values, whereas retreat and escape were performed by animals of low dominance. All these trends continued to develop over the next 2 weeks as the number of agonistic encounters declined to a low level.

Is the reaction to chemical cues of predators affected by age or experience in fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra)?

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Ibáñez ◽  
Barbara A. Caspers ◽  
Pilar López ◽  
José Martín ◽  
E. Tobias Krause
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Predator Recognition ◽  
Test Arena ◽  
Potential Predator ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Chemical Recognition ◽  
Behavioural Reaction ◽  
Salamandra Salamandra ◽  
In Fire

Predation is one of the strongest forces driving natural selection. Predator success reduces future prey fitness to zero. Thus, recognition and avoidance of a potential predator is an essential fitness-relevant skill for prey. Being well equipped in the predator-prey arms race is highly adaptive. In this context we tested whether age and/or potential experience of fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra) affected their behaviour towards the chemical signature of a potential predator. We evaluated the space use of salamanders in a test arena with a shelter containing chemical cues from a predator (i.e., a rat) and a clean shelter. Our results demonstrate that naïve subadult fire salamanders do show a significant behavioural reaction towards rat odour. However, they do not avoid the chemical cues of the potential predator, but instead have a significant preference for the shelter with rat faeces. In contrast to this, both the naïve adult and wild-caught adult fire salamanders showed neither a preference nor an avoidance of rat scent. These results could suggest a role of age in odour-based predator recognition in salamanders. Similarly, predator recognition through chemical cues could be more important early in life when the young fire salamanders are more vulnerable to predatory attacks and less important in other life stages when salamanders are less subjected to predation. In conclusion, future studies considering wild-caught subadults should disentangle the importance of previous experience for predator chemical recognition.

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