Paintner, Stephan and Kramer, Bernd (2003) Electrosensory basis for individual recognition in a weakly electric, mormyrid fish, Pollimyrus adspersus (Gunther, 1866). BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY, 55 (2). pp. 197-208. ISSN 0340-5443, 1432-0762
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Pollimyrus adspersus discriminates the individually variable waveforms of Electric Organ Discharges (EODs) of conspecifics of only 150-250 mus duration. We examined: (1) the discrimination threshold for artificially generated EODs of similar waveform, (2) the mechanism of signal analysis (spectral vs temporal) present, by determining the discrimination between different waveforms of identical amplitude spectra, and (3) the threshold field intensity and reach of discrimination. The triphasic P. adspersus EOD waveform was artificially generated by superimposing two Gaussians, one wide, the second narrow, inverted, and of threefold amplitude. The natural variability among individual EOD waveforms was simulated by phase-shifting one Gaussian relative to the other. The symmetrical waveform where the peaks of the two Gaussians coincided was used as a reference (phase shift=0, rewarded stimulus S+). Results were: (1) in food-rewarded conditioning experiments, trained fish (N=7) detected a phase-shift in artificial EOD stimuli as low as 2 mus (N=2 fish), 6 mus (N=1) and 10 mus (N=1). (2) All fish tested (N=3) discriminated between artificial EODs of identical amplitude spectra but different waveforms (hence, different phase spectra), demonstrating a temporal mechanism of signal analysis. (3) The maximum reach of waveform discrimination was 130 cm at 4.9 muV(p-p)/cm and 100 muS/cm water conductivity (test signal generated at natural amplitude), that is, similar to the reach of EOD detection. Therefore, among the three kinds of electroreceptor organ present in mormyrids, we consider Knollenorgane the relevant sensory organs for EOD waveform discrimination.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | LATERAL-LINE LOBE; GNATHONEMUS-PETERSII MORMYRIDAE; ORGAN DISCHARGE; WATER CONDUCTIVITY; ISIDORI MORMYRIDAE; MORMYROMAST REGIONS; PHASE SENSITIVITY; SOCIAL-BEHAVIOR; SEX-DIFFERENCES; WAVE-FORM; electroreception; electric organ discharge; individual recognition; conditioned discrimination; temporal signal analysis |
| Subjects: | 500 Science > 590 Zoological sciences |
| Divisions: | Biology, Preclinical Medicine > Institut für Zoologie > Alumni or Retired > Verhaltensbiologie und Verhaltensphysiologie (Prof. Dr. Bernd Kramer) |
| Depositing User: | Dr. Gernot Deinzer |
| Date Deposited: | 27 Jul 2021 10:11 |
| Last Modified: | 27 Jul 2021 10:11 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/38327 |
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