title: Comparative study of the rheotaxis in the cave salamander Proteus anguinus and his epigean relative Necturus maculosus (Proteidae, Urodela).
abstract: The reaction to different water currents of the cave salamander Proteus anguinus and his epigean relative Necturus maculosus has been tested in a choice chamber. Both species showed a positive reaction which started in P. anguinus with a current of 35 cm/min and in N. maculosus 60 cm/min. These thresholds are within the range measured for different species of fish in the absence of visual stimuli. In addition, the rheotactic behaviour is less steady in N. maculosus . It seems that the differences found are not sufficient to be explained by adaptation to cave life.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire souterrain du CNRS Moulis et Unité 86 INSERM Ophtalmologie, Paris, France.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parzefall