Male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas Rafinesque) retain their fright reaction to alarm substance during the breeding season

1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (12) ◽  
pp. 2230-2231 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Pimephales Promelas ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Alarm Substance ◽  
Skin Extract ◽  
Fathead Minnows ◽  
Fright Reaction ◽  
Alarm Substance Cells

In laboratory and field tests, breeding male fathead minnows respond to conspecific skin extract with a fright reaction despite their own seasonal loss of alarm substance cells. Their fright reaction is facilitated by the presence of other fatheads.

Epidermal club cells are not linked with an alarm response in reedfish, Erpetoichthys (= Calamoichthys) calabaricus

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (8) ◽  
pp. 2057-2061 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Hugie ◽  
R. J. F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Alarm Pheromone ◽  
Cross Reaction ◽  
Alarm Substance ◽  
Skin Extract ◽  
Feeding Response ◽  
Brachydanio Rerio ◽  
Alarm Response ◽  
Fright Reaction ◽  
Club Cells ◽  
Alarm Substance Cells

Club cells in the epidermis of reedfish, Erpetoichthys (= Calamoichthys) calabaricus (Pisces, Polypteriformes), are morphologically similar, perhaps homologous, to the "alarm substance cells" found in the skin of cypriniform fishes. Cypriniforms perform a fright reaction when they detect chemicals released from the damaged alarm substance cells of conspecifics. We examined the response of reedfish to conspecific skin extract and checked for a cross reaction to reedfish extract by a cypriniform fish, the zebra danio, Brachydanio rerio. Reedfish responded to conspecific skin extract with an increase in activity but this response did not resemble a fright reaction. Zebra danios responded to reedfish extract with a feeding response. We conclude that reedfish do not show a fright reaction to the skin extract of conspecifics. This suggests that if cypriniform alarm substance cells are homologous to reedfish club cells, their alarm pheromone function is a secondary adaptation.

THE FRIGHT REACTION IN NORTH AMERICAN FISH

1963 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Pfeiffer
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Alarm Substance ◽  
Fish Skin ◽  
Cyprinid Species ◽  
Fright Reaction ◽  
Skin Physiology ◽  
Alarm Substance Cells

The fright reaction was found in five species of North American Cyprinidae including the predaceous northern squawfish, and in two species of Catostomidae. The threshold for Cyprinidae is 1/1000 N ("normal") extract or lower, that for Catostomidae at least a 1/100 N extract. The cyprinid species reacted very strongly to extract from other Cyprinidae but less strongly to catostomid extract; catostomid species reacted strongly to extract from other Catostomidae but less strongly to cyprinid extract. Salmon extract did not produce any reaction in Cyprinidae or Catostomidae. The epidermis of all species studied contained alarm substance cells; the epidermis of the Catostomidæ was very similar to that of the Cyprinidae. There was a relationship between number and size of the alarm substance cells (histology) and the quantity of alarm substance in the fish skin (physiology). The ability to respond to the alarm substance first appeared in young redside shiners at an age of 42 days, in young zebrafish at an age of 32 days, when the fish were kept at 26 °C.

The Distribution of Fright Reaction and Alarm Substance Cells in Fishes

Copeia ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 1977 (4) ◽  
pp. 653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Pfeiffer
Keyword(s):  
Alarm Substance ◽  
Fright Reaction ◽  
Alarm Substance Cells

Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) learn to recognize chemical stimuli from high-risk habitats by the presence of alarm substance

1995 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas P. Chivers ◽  
R. Jan F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Pimephales Promelas ◽  
Alarm Substance ◽  
Fathead Minnows ◽  
Chemical Stimuli

Effect of hormone treatments on alarm substance cell counts in the pearl dace, Semotilus margarita

1986 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 291-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeaniene D. Smith ◽  
R. J. F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Pimephales Promelas ◽  
Mucous Cell ◽  
Cell Loss ◽  
Alarm Substance ◽  
Androgen Treatment ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Sexual Characteristics ◽  
Alarm Substance Cells ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Induced Changes

The seasonal loss of alarm substance cells that normally occurs in breeding male and female pearl dace, Semotilus margarita, could not be induced by treatment with androgen, estrogen, salmon gonadotropin, or prolactin. Treatment with carp pituitary did lead to a significant reduction in alarm substance cell numbers. Androgen treatment induced changes in tuberculation and mucous cell counts. Salmon gonadotropin and carp pituitary increased breeding colouration. Prolactin treatment increased mucous cell counts. The lack of response of pearl dace alarm substance cells to androgen contrasts with the situation in fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, where seasonal alarm substance cell loss is under androgen control. The difference may reflect differences in the annual cycle of secondary sexual characteristics.

Does habitat complexity influence the ability of fathead minnows to learn heterospecific chemical alarm cues?

2003 ◽  
Vol 81 (5) ◽  
pp. 923-927 ◽  
Author(s):  
M S Pollock ◽  
D P Chivers
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Complexity ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Pimephales Promelas ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Predatory Fish ◽  
Skin Extract ◽  
Alarm Cues ◽  
Fathead Minnows ◽  
Chemical Alarm Cues

Numerous aquatic animals release chemical cues when attacked by a predator. These cues "warn" other individuals of danger and have been termed alarm cues. Cross-species responses to alarm cues are common and in some cases result from learned recognition. However, little is known about the ecological factors that could influence this learned recognition. The current study focuses on the role of habitat complexity in the learning of heterospecific alarm cues. We introduced brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) into outdoor pools containing fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) naïve to stickleback. The pools all contained a predatory fish (northern pike, Esox lucius) but varied in habitat characteristics. Pools representing high-complexity habitats had a large amount of structure to obscure the visual environment, while pools representing low-complexity habitats had minimal structure. After 8 days, fish were removed from the pools and behavioural assays were conducted in the laboratory. We tested the minnows for a response to either stickleback skin extract (experimental) or swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri) skin extract (control) and found that minnows conditioned in pools with little structure had learned to recognize stickleback alarm cues, while those from pools with complex structure did not recognize stickleback alarm cues.

Alarm substance cells in fathead minnows do not affect the feeding preference of rainbow trout

1983 ◽  
Vol 9 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 307-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan W. Bernstein ◽  
R. Jan F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Rainbow Trout ◽  
Feeding Preference ◽  
Alarm Substance ◽  
Fathead Minnows ◽  
Alarm Substance Cells

Effects of 17α-methyltestosterone on the dorsal pad and tubercles of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

1974 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 1031-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Chorionic Gonadotropin ◽  
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin ◽  
Pimephales Promelas ◽  
Fathead Minnows ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Mucus Cells

The formation of breeding tubercles and a mucus-secreting dorsal pad in male and female fathead minnows is induced by 17α-methyltestosterone. Neither lactotrophic hormone (LTH) nor human chorionic gonadotropin induced dorsal pad or tubercle formation in the dosages used. LTH (with androgen) may delay loss of mucus cells at the end of the breeding season.

Avoidance of areas marked with a chemical alarm substance by fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) in a natural habitat

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (8) ◽  
pp. 1473-1476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia Mathis ◽  
R. Jan F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Alarm Pheromone ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Pimephales Promelas ◽  
Alarm Substance ◽  
Apparent Difference ◽  
Fathead Minnows ◽  
Developmental Factors ◽  
Natural Stream ◽  
Risk Of Predation ◽  
Control Versus

If chemical alarm pheromones warn individuals of nearby predation on conspecifics, then individuals should avoid areas where alarm pheromone is present. This hypothesis was tested in a natural stream habitat by exposing fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to minnow traps that had been marked with either conspecific alarm pheromone or with a control substance (glass-distilled water). The minnows exhibited significant avoidance of traps marked with the alarm pheromone: less than 4% of the minnows that were captured were found in the experimental traps. There was a nonsignificant tendency for minnows in control traps to be larger than those caught in experimental traps, suggesting a possible role of experience or developmental factors in determining the response to alarm pheromone. There was no apparent difference in overall body condition (i.e., length-specific mass) between the minnows that were caught in control versus experimental traps. Detection of the alarm pheromone may allow receivers to avoid areas where risk of predation is high.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document