Social dominance and interrenal cell activity in rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri (Pisces, Salmonidae)

Abstract

SynopsisThe relationship between standing in a dominance hierarchy and physiological stress was studied in rainbow trout. Individual fish were assigned relative dominance ranks, based on behavioral observations in a large, simulated stream tank. These ranks were compared to histometric measures of interrenal cell activity. Fish, isolated individually in the stream tank had significantly lower levels of interrenal activity than fish from the crowded holding tank. Groups of fish in the stream tank formed stable, linear dominance hierarchies. Interrenal activity correlated inversely with dominance rank, with the exception that top ranking fish had higher activity than expected. Possible cause and effect relationships are discussed.

Whole-Body Cortisol Concentrations and Ontogeny of Aggressive Behavior in Yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiataTemminck & Schlegel; Carangidae)

“…"Subordinate" yellowtail in a school showed significantly higher IRC levels than "Dominant" fish. It is suggested that "Subordinate" yellowtail juveniles are physiologically stressed by their social rank in a school in experimental tanks, akin to the effects of social rank in rainbow trout (Noakes and Leatherland, 1977) and in coho salmon (Ejike and Schreck, 1980). It seems the majority of the school is stressed for a long period, but the social rank of this species is not stabilized strictly and has some flexibility to experience a rank reversal within in long-term period (about 1 week; Sakakura and Tsukamoto, 1997c).…”

“…Plasma cortisol concentrations and interrenal cell activity are often used as stress indicators in teleost fishes. Interrenal cell dimensions were greater in subordinate rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Noakes and Leatherland, 1977), and plasma cortisol levels higher in subordinate coho salmon O. kisutch (Ejike and Schreck, 1980) and European eel Anguilla anguilla (Peters et al, 1980).…”

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone in Relation to Interrenal Function during Stress in Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus)

“…As suggested for other species, this phenomenon might selectively predispose high responders to infectious diseases (Maule et al, 1987), as well as re duce their development and growth rate. Other relevant features include the facts that subordinates generally suffer most from additional stress conditions (Schreck, 1981) and social rank in some fish is asso ciated with interrenal mass (Erickson, 1967) and interrenal cell activity (Noakes and Leatherland, 1977;Schreck, 1981). Whether differences in HPA axis activity associated with social status are also ex pressed anatomically at levels other than the interrenal is unknown.…”

The interrenal gland in males of the cichlid fish Cichlasoma dimerus: Relationship with stress and the establishment of social hierarchies

“…Few studies have evaluated the morphometry of interrenal gland cells in animals of different social rank: Noakes and Leatherland (1977) found that after 14-17 days of interaction between male rainbow trout, steroidogenic cells of subordinates showed greater synthetic activity -estimated in terms of the nuclear area -with respect to the dominant ones. Similar results were obtained by Scott and Currie in subordinate males of Xiphophorus helleri, although they used the nuclear diameter instead of its area (Scott and Currie, 1980).…”

“…These cells, homologous to those of tetrapod vertebrates, are arranged in groups or chords, in contact with the main veins and their tributaries present in the kidney, primarily in the anterior or cephalic portion (Grassi Milano et al, 1997). Very few studies have evaluated the relation between the morphology of the interrenal gland cells and male's social rank; in particular, it was found that steroidogenic cells exhibited greater synthetic activity in subordinate male rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) when compared to dominant ones (Noakes and Leatherland, 1977). Similar results were obtained in subordinate male green swordtails (Xiphophorus helleri) (Scott and Currie, 1980).…”