Differential behavioral responses by reproductive and non-reproductive male round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) to the putative pheromone estrone.
Previous studies have shown that the frequency of gill ventilation during exposure to estrone and gonadal extracts in the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is linked to olfactory sensory input. Control over gill ventilation may be a regulatory mechanism used for odorant sampling during reproductive periods. In this study, we examined changes in gill ventilation in osmic and anosmic (nasal occluded), reproductive and non-reproductive male round gobies to a putative steroidal pheromone estrone (1,3,5(10)-estratrien-3-ol-17-one). We tested 5 different concentrations of estrone (10(-12) to 10(-8) M) and showed that the response threshold for estrone varied with the male's reproductive status; it was 10(-11) M in reproductive males, and rose to 10(-9) M in non-reproductive males. However, anosmic reproductive and non-reproductive males did not respond to estrone. These findings suggest that olfactory responses to putative pheromones may change depending on the reproductive status of the fish.
Belanger
Rachelle M
RM
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada N9B 3P4. belangr@bgsu.edu
Corkum
Lynda D
LD
Zielinski
Barbara S
BS
D000818:Animals; D004970:Estrone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D010473:Perciformes / Q000502:physiology*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*
D010675:Pheromones; D004970:Estrone