Stress responses to chemical alarm cues in Nile tilapia

Abstract In predator–prey encounters between fish in which there is physical trauma to the epidermis of the prey, some species release chemical alarm cues into the water. Fish of the same species may perceive these cues and display antipredator behavior. Physiological adjustments may also be needed...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physiology & behavior 2015-10, Vol.149, p.8-13
Main Authors: Sanches, Fábio Henrique Carretero, Miyai, Caio Akira, Pinho-Neto, Cândido Ferreira, Barreto, Rodrigo Egydio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alarm reaction
Alarm substance
Analysis of Variance
Animal Communication
Animals
Chemical communication
Cues
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Escape Reaction - physiology
Hydrocortisone - blood
Predation risk
Predatory Behavior - physiology
Psychiatry
Skin - chemistry
Smell - physiology
Stress, Psychological - metabolism
Stressors
Tilapia - physiology
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Summary:Abstract In predator–prey encounters between fish in which there is physical trauma to the epidermis of the prey, some species release chemical alarm cues into the water. Fish of the same species may perceive these cues and display antipredator behavior. Physiological adjustments may also be needed to deal with this adverse situation. To date, little attention has been devoted to the physiological adjustments that may co-occur with defensive responses. We have characterized the alarm cue-induced antipredator behaviors and stress responses in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus . Specifically, chemical alarm cues decreased feeding activity and induced dashing reactions while also inducing the primary stress responses, increased ventilation rate and cortisol level. Glucose levels remained unaltered, leading to the conclusion that secondary stress responses were not induced in this study. Nile tilapia stress responses to chemical alarm cues differed from those reported for other fish species, and may depend on the nature of the stimulus or on the species studied. Future studies should ideally aim to identify patterns in stress response to chemical alarm cues in fishes and resolve this question.
ISSN:0031-9384
1873-507X
DOI:10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.05.010