Antipredator and alarm reaction responses of silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) juveniles exposed to waterborne ammonia

Weber, Paula; Vogel, Carina; Lang, Carla; Baldisserotto, Bernardo

doi:10.1590/s1679-62252012005000006

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Amazingly, avoidance has been reported in arctic charr at the submicromolar range of ammonia (Olsen, 1986). HEA can also alter the normal olfactory-based responses to other cues (Weber et al, 2012). Future studies should examine the ventilatory response to waterborne ammonia in fish made experimentally anosmic.…”

Section: Are There External Ammonia Receptors Controlling Ventilation?mentioning

confidence: 97%

Rh protein expression in branchial neuroepithelial cells, and the role of ammonia in ventilatory control in fish

Zhang

Nawata

Boeck

et al. 2015

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular &

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Bill Milsom has made seminal contributions to our understanding of ventilatory control in a wide range of vertebrates. Teleosts are particularly interesting, because they produce a 3rd, potentially toxic respiratory gas (ammonia) in large amounts. Fish are well known to hyperventilate under high environmental ammonia (HEA), but only recently has the potential role of ammonia in normal ventilatory control been investigated. It is now clear that ammonia can act directly as a ventilatory stimulant in trout, independent of its effects on acid-base balance. Even in ureotelic dogfish sharks, acute elevations in ammonia cause increases in ventilation. Peripherally, the detection of elevated ammonia resides in gill arches I and II in trout, and in vitro, neuroepithelial cells (NECs) from these arches are sensitive to ammonia, responding with elevations in intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]i). Centrally, hyperventilatory responses to ammonia correlate more closely with concentrations of ammonia in the brain than in plasma or CSF. After chronic HEA exposure, ventilatory responsiveness to ammonia is lost, associated with both an attenuation of the [Ca(2+)]i response in NECs, and the absence of elevation in brain ammonia concentration. Chronic exposure to HEA also causes increases in the mRNA expression of several Rh proteins (ammonia-conductive channels) in both brain and gills. "Single cell" PCR techniques have been used to isolate the individual responses of NECs versus other gill cell types. We suggest several circumstances (post-feeding, post-exercise) where the role of ammonia as a ventilatory stimulant may have adaptive benefits for O2 uptake in fish.

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Section: Are There External Ammonia Receptors Controlling Ventilation?mentioning

confidence: 97%

Rh protein expression in branchial neuroepithelial cells, and the role of ammonia in ventilatory control in fish

Zhang

Nawata

Boeck

et al. 2015

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular &

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“…Weber et al (2012) suggested that naive juveniles never exposed to predators are able to identify predators and skin extract from conspecifics by odors. We have here demonstrated that club cells are indeed present in high density in the skin of the jundiá, that these cells are large and rounded, and located in the middle of the stratified epithelium.…”

Section: Concentration Of Skin Homogenatementioning

confidence: 99%

Skin extract from Rhamdia quelen(Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) does not promote stress in conspecifics

Souza‐Bastos

Freire

Fernandes-de-Castilho

2014

Neotrop. ichthyol.

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Chemical communication is widely used in aquatic environments, where visual or auditory signals may not be always effective. Fish of the superorder Ostariophysi are known to display epidermal cells (club cells) that produce and store alarm substances, which are released to the water when the skin is damaged. Responses to alarm substances range widely, between active searches for refuge to a complete stop in any locomotor activity. In this study a large number of binucleated club cells (average density of 11 cells /µm 2 ) were histologically observed in the skin of the catfish Rhamdia quelen (known as jundiá). Skin extract (2, 5, and 10% w/v) applied for 15 minutes to conspecifics elicited increase in swimming activity and in the area visited by the fish inside the tank. However, exposure to the epithelial alarm cue did not evoke any stress response: plasma osmolality, ions (sodium, chloride, magnesium, and potassium), glucose and cortisol remained unchanged. In conclusion, the conspecific alarm cue of the jundiá induces behavioral responses but not an acute stress response upon short-term exposure, compatible with its role in fostering physical integrity without representing major stress activation. Considering that in the natural environment such stimuli must quickly disappear due to dilution and that rapid protection responses may be necessary upon the possibility of an approaching predator, a faster mechanism to assure survival may come into play, such as sympathetic nervous system activation.Comunicação química é amplamente utilizada por animais que vivem em ambiente aquático, onde sinais visuais e auditivos nem sempre são facilmente identificados. Os Ostariophysi são conhecidos por apresentarem células club na epiderme, as quais produzem e estocam substância de alarme que são liberadas para o ambiente quando a pele é lesionada. As respostas dos peixes a substância de alarme variam entre exploração ativa por refúgios até a parada completa de atividade locomotora. Neste estudo, grande número de células club binucleadas (densidade média de 11 células/µm2) foram histologicamente observadas na epiderme do jundiá, Rhamdia quelen. Peixes expostos a extrato de pele de conspecíficos (2, 5, e 10% peso/vol) por 15 minutos apresentaram aumento da atividade locomotora e da área de dispersão. No entanto, essa exposição não promoveu nenhuma resposta de estresse -osmolalidade plasmática, íons (sódio, cloreto, magnésio e potássio), glicose e cortisol não sofreram alteração. Concluímos que a exposição aguda a extrato de pele de conspecíficos promovem respostas comportamentais de fuga, que essa espécie apresenta grande concentração de células club, as quais devem estar envolvidas nessas respostas e que a exposição aguda ao estímulo não promoveu respostas bioquímicas indicativas de estresse. Considerando que no ambiente natural tais estímulos devem desaparecer rapidamente dados a diluição do meio e que respostas rápidas de proteção devem ser desencadeadas frente à possibilidade de presença de predador, vias rápidas de suporte ...

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“…Weber et al (2012) observed a decrease in shelter use in juvenile silver catfish exposed to alarm cue, but no change in locomotion. Kochhann et al (2009) found that silver catfish larvae exposed to conspecific skin extract or to predator odor increased the time spent in the shelter and decreased the number of line crossings, a usual antipredator response (Wisenden et al, 2008.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…The silver catfish Rhamdia quelen (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) is a Siluriformes with Neotropical 2 e160036 [2] distribution, endemic to South America and has high commercial value, being widely employed in aquaculture in southern Brazil (Baldisserotto, 2009). This species responds to alarm cues and predator odor (Kochhann et al, 2009;Weber et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conspecific and heterospecific alarm substances induce behavioral responses in juvenile catfish Rhamdia quelen

et al. 2017

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The recognition of chemical information indicating the presence of a predator is very important for prey survival. In this study we tested antipredator behavioral response of juvenile silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) against predator odor released by two different potential predators, Hoplias malabaricus and the snake Helicops infrataeniatus, and alarm cues and disturbance cues released by conspecifics and by non-predator species, Megaleporinus obtusidens and Astyanax lacustris. We used juvenile catfish that were naive to predators. The trials consisted of a 10-min prestimulus and a 10-min post-stimulus observation period. The behavioral response displayed by silver catfish exposed to alarm cues comprised a decrease in shelter use and an increase in locomotion, and also a longer latency period before feeding. Our results showed that juvenile silver catfish can perceive chemical cues released by predators, heterospecifics and conspecifics.Keywords: Alarm cues, Anti-predator behavior, Disturbance cues, Predator odor, Skin extract.O reconhecimento das informações químicas indicando a presença de predadores é muito importante para a sobrevivência da presa. Neste estudo foi testada a resposta comportamental anti-predação de juvenis de jundiás (Rhamdia quelen) a substâncias liberadas por dois predadores potenciais, Hoplias malabaricus e a cobra Helicops infrataeniatus, e substâncias de alarme liberadas por conspecíficos e pelas espécies não predadoras Megaleporinus obtusidens e Astyanax lacustris. Foram usados juvenis de jundiá que não possuíam nenhum contato prévio com predadores. Os testes consistiram em observações de períodos de 10 minutos pré estímulo e 10 minutos pós estímulo. As respostas comportamentais apresentadas pelos jundiás expostos às substâncias de alarme consistiram em diminuição no uso do abrigo, aumento na locomoção e também um longo período de latência antes de ingerir o alimento. Os resultados demonstram que juvenis de jundiá percebem substâncias químicas liberadas por predadores, heterospecíficos e conspecíficos. Palavras-chave:Comportamento anti-predador, Extrato de pele, Odor do predador, Sinais de alarme, Sinais de perturbação.

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Antipredator and alarm reaction responses of silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) juveniles exposed to waterborne ammonia

Cited by 7 publications

References 29 publications

Rh protein expression in branchial neuroepithelial cells, and the role of ammonia in ventilatory control in fish

Rh protein expression in branchial neuroepithelial cells, and the role of ammonia in ventilatory control in fish

Skin extract from Rhamdia quelen(Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) does not promote stress in conspecifics

Conspecific and heterospecific alarm substances induce behavioral responses in juvenile catfish Rhamdia quelen

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