Species-specific attraction of migratory banded kokopu juveniles to adult pheromones |
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Authors: | C F Baker J C Montgomery |
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Institution: | Experimental Biology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand |
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Abstract: | Juvenile migratory Galaxias fasciatus juveniles or whitebait were attracted to odours produced by adults. The attraction was dependent on concentration with an upstream movement and attraction to the odour chamber at intermediate level concentrations. At a high concentration the migratory response of whitebait was retarded with the majority of fish not moving upstream but remaining in the lower section of the apparatus. There was no response to odours from adults of other galaxiid species, the inanga G. maculatus or koaro G. brevipinnis at any concentration. These results demonstrate G. fasciatus whitebait have the ability to discriminate species-specific pheromones during their migratory phase, providing evidence of a pheromonal attraction in migratory amphidromous fish which could possibly provide a basis for effective habitat selection. |
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Keywords: | pheromones migratory galaxiid fish |
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