Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) learn to recognize chemical stimuli from high-risk habitats by the presence of alarm substance

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
We exposed fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to water from one of two distinct habitat types (an open water site or a vegetated cover site in the same stream) that we mixed with either alarm substance or a distilled water control. Upon subsequent exposures to the habitat waters alone, minnows showed a fright response to the habitat water that they received in conjunction with alarm substance but not to the other habitat water. These results indicate that minnows can learn to recognize high-risk habitats based on the association of habitat specific chemical cues with alarm substance. The ability to recognize these habitats could potentially lower the minnows' risk of predation. These results provide evidence of a long-term benefit to receivers of a chemical alarm signal.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: