Behavioural and kinematic components of the fast-start escape response in fish: individual variation and temporal repeatability

Abstract

SUMMARYInter-individual variation in physiological performance traits, which is stable over time, can be of potential ecological and evolutionary significance. The fish escape response is interesting in this regard because it is a performance trait for which interindividual variation may determine individual survival. The temporal stability of such variation is, however, largely unexplored. We quantified individual variation of various components of the escape response in a population of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), considering both non-locomotor (responsiveness and latency) and locomotor (speed, acceleration, turning rate, turning angle and distance travelled in a fixed time, D esc ) variables. We assessed whether variation in performance was temporally stable and we searched for any trade-offs among the components of the response that might explain why the variation persisted in the population. The coefficient of variation was high for all components, from 23% for turning rate to 41% for D esc , highlighting the non-stereotypic nature of the response. Individual performance for all variables was significantly repeatable over five sequential responses at 30min intervals, and also repeatable after a 30 day interval for most of the components. This indicates that the variation is intrinsic to the individuals, but there was no evidence for trade-offs amongst the components of the response, suggesting that, if trade-offs exist, they must be against other ecologically important behavioural or performance traits.

Flowing water affects fish fast-starts: escape performance of the Hawaiian stream goby,Sicyopterus stimpsoni

“…Although some aspects of fast-start performance in fishes have been found to be independent of certain external factors (Binning et al, 2014;Fu et al, 2015), other fast-start variables have shown context dependency (Domenici, 2010a), and recent studies have indicated that viewing fast-starts as fixed actions is too simple (Abrahams et al, 2007;Domenici, 2010b;Marras et al, 2011;Tytell and Lauder, 2008). Studies of the black goby showed that fish react proportionally to the perceived strength of a stimulus (Turesson et al, 2009).…”

Effects of intraspecific variation in reproductive traits, pectoral fin use and burst swimming on metabolic rates and swimming performance: a study on the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulataPeters)

“…Fish condition index was calculated following a previous study (Marras et al, 2011) and correlated with average pectoral fin use. Employing methods 1 and 2 to calculate average pectoral fin use, there was no significant correlation between fish condition index and average pectoral fin use (both P>0.11).…”

Temperature-dependent effects of PFOS on risk recognition and fast-start performance in juvenile Spinibarbus sinensis

“…PFOS exposure in duced a global inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, resul ting in de creased corticosterone secretion and re lease (Pereiro et al 2014), and ultimately affecting the antipredator response. Fast-start swimming is typically controlled by the Mauthner cells, a pair of large reticulospinal neurons that receive various sensory inputs and are powered by intracellular stores of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate (Reidy et al 2000, Marras et al 2011. From an ecological point of view, fast-start swimming is of great importance for both predator avoidance and prey capture.…”