DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/HWT9-MF05
Defense Date
2013
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Michael Fine
Abstract
The chemosensory abilities of fishes, are important in order to understand how prey can perceive and avoid predators. Predator-naïve Channel catfish were exposed to four extracts over eight sessions (naïve bass water (NBW), bass that were fed catfish water (BFCW), catfish skin extract (CS), and naïve bass water paired with catfish skin extract (CO)) to determine whether they have an innate predator response to potential chemical cues indicating possible predation risk. Movement was quantified as grid squares crossed, directional changes, and tail beats. Response increased during the first minute following stimulus injection and decreased during the second minute. Channel catfish increased movement upon exposure to stimuli from NBW, CS and CO but not to BFCW. Increased response to bass odor while habituating to catfish skin extract, which presumably contains alarm pheromone, suggests that catfish learned to recognize bass odor without external reinforcement.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
December 2013