IBBEA   24401
INSTITUTO DE BIODIVERSIDAD Y BIOLOGIA EXPERIMENTAL Y APLICADA
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Ephidermal club cells distribution an antipredatory behaviour in Parancheirodon axelrodi (Characiformes, Characidae).
Autor/es:
GABRIEL OSTAPCHUK; ANDREA POZZI; JAZMIN GOODALL; MATIAS PANDOLFI; LAURA RINCÓN CAMACHO
Lugar:
Buenos Aires
Reunión:
Jornada; XX Jornadas Anuales de la Sociedad Argentina de Biología y XVII Jornadas de la Sociedad Uruguaya de Biociencias.; 2018
Institución organizadora:
Sociedad Argentina de Biología
Resumen:
Club cells are epidermal poreless cells. Despite the fact that their function is still controversial, these cells release chemical substances when they break as a result of mechanical damage of the skin (e.g. during a predatory attack). The released substances function as alarm pheromones, which alert other conspecifics of the predatory risk. The aim of this study is to describe the presence and distribution of club cells in the tetra cardenal Paracheirodon axelrodi skin. Also, the effect of conspecific skin preparations on the behaviour will be analyzed. Histological analysis shows the presence of club cells in the epidermis in specific areas. Typically club cells are arranged in six stripes in the antero-posterior axis. Two well depicted stripes run across the dorsal and ventral axis and two discontinuous stripes on each side. Increased cell numbers have been recognized in most fins and their insertions, as well as in the perianal area. They are also present on the head especially in the region of the pineal window. For the behavioural test, three treatments were applied on random sides of a fish tank. Responses of single individuals were filmed before and after application. For the skins extract, adults were scraped using a mechanical technique with the purpose of damaging epidermal cells, thereafter cleansed with dechlorinated water and collected. Dechlorinated water was used as a negative control and food-conditioned water as a positive control. After the application of the skin extract individuals changed their behaviour, typically they first move erratically with an increase in their speed and with quick and random changes in direction. Subsequently they freeze with rapid eye movements decreasing their activity. Moreover, individuals post-stimulus stayed for longer in the lower third of the fish tank decreasing the number of transitions to the upper two thirds. In contrast to pre-stimulus behaviours, where a larger swimming area is covered. These results show that Paracheirodon axelrodi has clubs cells with a specific distribution in their skin. On the other hand, conspecific skin extract was able to induce antipredatory behaviour on conspecifics supporting the hypothesis that club cells contain chemical alarm cues that are discharged after damage to the epidermis.