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Population and sex differences in antipredator responses of breeding fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to chemical stimuli from garter snakes (Thamnophis radix andT. sirtalis)
- Source :
- Journal of Chemical Ecology. 20:2111-2121
- Publication Year :
- 1994
- Publisher :
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 1994.
-
Abstract
- We conducted a predator bite survey on a population of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) considered to be under substantial predation pressure by western plains garter snakes (Thamnophis radix). Scarring, due to failed predation attempts by garter snakes and crayfish (Orconectes virilis), was observed significantly more often in breeding males than in breeding females and nonbreeding minnows. Likely, territorial nest defense under the edges of rocks along the water's edge, a habitat occupied by crayfish and frequented by snakes, caused the breeding males to be differentially vulnerable to predation. Under controlled laboratory conditions, breeding males from this population exhibited an antipredator response to chemical stimuli from live snakes (T. sirtalis andT. radix) significantly more often than breeding female minnows from the same population and breeding minnows of both sexes from a population that was presumed to be under lower predation pressure from snakes.
- Subjects :
- education.field_of_study
integumentary system
biology
Ecology
Population
Orconectes virilis
Thamnophis radix
General Medicine
biology.organism_classification
Crayfish
complex mixtures
Biochemistry
Predation
Cyprinidae
Thamnophis sirtalis
Pimephales promelas
education
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15731561 and 00980331
- Volume :
- 20
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Chemical Ecology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....874ef5e3eb322504f91cecde3968720d