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Auditory and olfactory abilities of larvae of the Indo-Pacific coral trout Plectropomus leopardus (Lacepède) at settlement |
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| Authors: | K J Wright †‡ D M Higgs § A J Belanger § J M Leis † |
| Institution: | School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; , Department of Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4 Canada; and Ichthyology and Division of Aquatic Zoology, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia |
| Abstract: | Auditory and olfactory abilities of settlement-stage larvae of the coral trout Plectropomus leopardus (Pisces: Serranidae) were tested electrophysiologically to determine if these senses are sufficiently developed to aid larvae in detection of settlement habitats on coral reefs. Plectropomus leopardus larvae detected sounds from 100 to 2000 Hz with hearing most sensitive at the frequencies of 100, 200 and 600 Hz. The olfactory response of P. leopardus was similar for the two amino acids tested and for the water conditioned by conspecifics. Auditory and olfactory abilities of P. leopardus are well developed at settlement-stage, and apparently sufficient to detect auditory and olfactory cues from reefs. |
| Keywords: | auditory brainstem response coral reef fish electro-olfactogram larvae sensory abilities settlement-stage |