Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Paul Stebbing, Dr Gordon Watson, Emeritus Professor Matt Bentley
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
Many species of crayfish have been shown to use disturbance chemicals to detect the presence of predators and other dangers, yet there have been no investigations in adults or juveniles of Pacifastacus leniusculus, a key species, particularly for invasive species study. Juveniles and adults were exposed to conditioned water from stressed and damaged conspecific males. Both responded to these odours, but did not respond to water from stressed or damaged males with blocked nephropores. Urine from stressed and damaged males also elicited a significant response, which was much stronger than that of conditioned water. Odours from urine and water of damaged individuals induced a greater response than stress odours. We propose that chemicals released by stressed or damaged Pa. leniusculus are the same substance, but quantities released in the urine vary in context-specific circumstances. Predator-odour conditioned water from Perca fluviatilis elicited no response, but conditioned Anguilla anguilla water stimulated significant responses in juveniles and adults. Juveniles exhibited the strongest responses to all odours. These results show that Pa. leniusculus utilises both conspecific and heterospecific sources of info-chemicals to assess risk in the environment, which may contribute to its success as an invasive species and give it a competitive advantage.
Author(s): Stebbing PD, Watson GJ, Bentley MG
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology
Year: 2010
Volume: 43
Issue: 3
Pages: 183-195
Print publication date: 01/05/2010
ISSN (print): 1023-6244
ISSN (electronic): 1029-0362
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10236244.2010.487301
DOI: 10.1080/10236244.2010.487301
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
