Behavioural responses of glass eels (Anguilla anguilla) towards amino acids

Abstract

The behavioural responses of glass eels of Anguilla anguilla towards amino acids were investigated by binary choice experiments testing different concentrations of 14 L‐amino acids in fresh water and salt water. Glass eels responded to solutions of individual amino acids down to a concentration of 10−8M, 10−9m. Media of different salinities influenced the responses. In freshwater, gln and thr were strongly attractive; asn, ala, met, glu and ile induced significant avoidance; gly elicited multimodal reactions depending on concentrations; his, lys, phe, val, leu and asp hardly influenced behaviour. In salt water, only gly, asn and lys significantly influenced the behaviour of the glass eels.

Studies of feeding stimulation in young eels, Anguilla anguilla L., before and after first-feeding using a novel rapid-screening method

“…The attractiveness of amino acids was generally not greatly enhanced by addition of GB or IMP + GB. Anguilla anguilla glass eels and juveniles have been shown to have high olfactory sensitivity to amino acids by Sola et al (1993) and Crnjar et al (1992), respectively. However, neither study tested IMP or GB or for any synergistic/antagonistic effects of mixtures.…”

“…Neurophysiological studies on olfactory and gustatory sensitivity are complex and results are difficult to relate to actual food preferences Yoshii, Kamo, Kurihara & Kobatake 1979;Crnjar, Scalera, Bigiani, Tommasini Barbarossa, Magherini & Pietra 1992). Feeding preference studies on eels have used visual counting of orientation behaviours, Takeda, Takii & Matsui 1984;Sola et al 1993) or measurements of growth or metabolic responses (Takii, Shimeno, Takeda & Kamekawa 1986a;Takii, Shimeno & Takeda 1986b;Kamstra & Heinsbroek 1991;Heinsbroek & Kreuger 1992). However, these methods are very time consuming.…”

Étude expérimentale sur les capacités sensorielles des larves de poissons coralliens dans la détection de leur lieu d'installation

“…pers.). De plus, l'odorat est souvent décrit comme un sens plus sensible que le goût, nécessitant des concentrations en phéromones élevées [34]. Cependant, Hellstrom et Doving [35] ont démontré que, selon la nature des phéromones, les poissons utilisaient l'olfaction ou la gustation dans la reconnaissance d'une proie ou d'un habitat.…”

Discrimination of New Zealand stream waters by glass eels of Anguilla australis and Anguilla dieffenbachii

“…The experimental apparatus was similar to that of Tongiorgi et al (1986), as modified to include pumps by Tosi et al (1988), and used for a series of studies on olfaction in European glass eels (Tosi et al, 1990;Sola et al, 1993; divided into a front and a rear compartment by a plexiglass sheet across the long axis 11·5 cm from the front end. Two 6 cm diameter plastic funnels were mounted over 6 cm diameter holes near the bottom of the sheet and extending into the rear compartment.…”