Journal ArticleDOI
Neuroethology and life history adaptations of the elasmobranch electric sense.
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TLDR
It is argued that the ontogenetic and seasonal variation in electrosensory tuning represent an adaptive electrosENSory plasticity that may be common to many elasmobranchs to enhance an individual's fitness throughout its life history.Abstract:
The electric sense of elasmobranch fishes (sharks and rays) is an important sensory modality known to mediate the detection of bioelectric stimuli. Although the best known function for the use of the elasmobranch electric sense is prey detection, relatively few studies have investigated other possible biological functions. Here, we review recent studies that demonstrate the elasmobranch electrosensory system functions in a wide number of behavioral contexts including social, reproductive and anti-predator behaviors. Recent work on non-electrogenic stingrays demonstrates that the electric sense is used during reproduction and courtship for conspecific detection and localization. Electrogenic skates may use their electrosensory encoding capabilities and electric organ discharges for communication during social and reproductive interactions. The electric sense may also be used to detect and avoid predators during early life history stages in many elasmobranch species. Embryonic clearnose skates demonstrate a ventilatory freeze response when a weak low-frequency electric field is imposed upon the egg capsule. Peak frequency sensitivity of the peripheral electrosensory system in embryonic skates matches the low frequencies of phasic electric stimuli produced by natural fish egg-predators. Neurophysiology experiments reveal that electrosensory tuning changes across the life history of a species and also seasonally due to steroid hormone changes during the reproductive season. We argue that the ontogenetic and seasonal variation in electrosensory tuning represent an adaptive electrosensory plasticity that may be common to many elasmobranchs to enhance an individual's fitness throughout its life history.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
The role of learning in shark behaviour
Tristan L. Guttridge,Arthur A. Myrberg,Ila F Porcher,David W. Sims,David W. Sims,Jens Krause +5 more
TL;DR: The role of learning in behaviour is well known for many animal taxa, including teleost fishes, insects, birds and mammals as discussed by the authors, however, its importance to sharks in everyday behavioural processes has rarely been considered.
Journal ArticleDOI
Electroreception, electrogenesis and electric signal evolution
TL;DR: This review has two aims: to synthesise the knowledge of the functional biology and phylogenetic distribution of electroreception and electrogenesis in fishes, with a focus on freshwater taxa and on the proximate bases of EOD and electroreceptor diversity, and to describe the diversity, biogeography, ecology and electric signal diversity of the mormyroids and gymnotiforms.
Journal ArticleDOI
Neural and hormonal mechanisms of reproductive-related arousal in fishes.
Paul M. Forlano,Andrew H. Bass +1 more
TL;DR: Case studies in vocal species where well-delineated sensory and motor pathways underlying reproductive-related behaviors illustrate the diversity and evolution of brain mechanisms driving sexual motivation between (and within) sexes are highlighted.
Journal ArticleDOI
Improving the Conservation of Mediterranean Chondrichthyans: The ELASMOMED DNA Barcode Reference Library.
Alessia Cariani,Silvia Messinetti,Alice Ferrari,Marco Arculeo,Juan José Bonello,Leanne Bonnici,Rita Cannas,Pierluigi Carbonara,Alessandro Cau,Charis Charilaou,Najib El Ouamari,Fabio Fiorentino,Maria Cristina Follesa,Germana Garofalo,Daniel Golani,Ilaria Guarniero,Robert Hanner,Farid Hemida,Omar Kada,Sabrina Lo Brutto,Cecilia Mancusi,Gabriel Morey,Patrick J. Schembri,Fabrizio Serena,Letizia Sion,Marco Stagioni,Angelo Tursi,Nedo Vrgoč,Dirk Steinke,Fausto Tinti +29 more
TL;DR: Morphological misidentifications were found across most orders, further confirming the need for a comprehensive DNA barcoding library as a valuable tool for the reliable identification of specimens in support of taxonomist who are reviewing current identification keys.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Observations of the mating behavior and dentition of the round stingray, Urolophus halleri
TL;DR: In Urolophus halleri, the round stingray, copulatory biting functions to maintain contact during copulation while the function of non-copulatory biting is less clear.
Journal ArticleDOI
Evidence for a direct effect of androgens upon electroreceptor tuning
TL;DR: It is concluded that androgens produce effects both on the EOD generating circuitry, probably at the level of the pacemaker nucleus, and on electroreceptors, probably, ultimately, on receptor cell membrane conductances.
Journal ArticleDOI
Behavioral actions of androgens and androgen receptor expression in the electrocommunication system of an electric fish, Eigenmannia virescens.
Kent D. Dunlap,Harold H. Zakon +1 more
TL;DR: Using immunocytochemistry, it is found that the cells of the electric organ (the electrocytes) that produce the EOD and control its pulse duration label positively with an antibody to the androgen receptor, suggesting that androgens decrease the firing frequency of the medullary pacemaker and alter the ion current kinetics in the Electrocytes.
Journal ArticleDOI
Observations on the electric organ discharge of two skate species. (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae) and its relationship to behaviour
Bradford O. Bratton,Joseph Ayers +1 more
TL;DR: EOD interaction and pulse duration differences between other species suggest a possible intra-specific communication function of the EOD in Rao erinacea and winter skate.
Book ChapterDOI
Predation on elasmobranch eggs
David L. Cox,Thomas J. Koob +1 more
TL;DR: New evidence for predation on elasmobranch eggs is presented based on examination of capsules held in museum collections, those collected from beaches, long-term incubations of caged egg capsules, and SCUBA observation.