Emersion in the mangrove forest fish Rivulus marmoratus: A unique response to hydrogen sulfide
The mangrove forest fish Rivulus marmoratus (Cyprinodontidae) has frequently been observed out of water, a phenomenon generally attributed to habitat drying. The hypothesis that hydrogen sulfide, a substance characteristically found in their environment, can serve as a stimulus for emersion, is tested in this study. In the field R. marmoratus was found in water with low to moderate level of H{sub 2}S. In the laboratory, R marmora leaped from water contaminated with H{sub 2}S at ecologically relevant concentrations. Aquatic hypoxia did not induce emersion, but prey capture did. Oxygen consumption by both juveniles and adults decreased significantly in air. These results suggest that avoidance of H{sub 2}S and the ability to survive terrestrial conditions enable this species to permanently occupy an area of the forest unavailable to other fishes. Furthermore, because a variety of stimuli lead to emersion in R. marmoratus, terrestriality in this species is likely a generalized response to environmental stress as well as a means of exploiting terrestrial resources. 16 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.
- OSTI ID:
- 6905007
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
FISHES
SENSITIVITY
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
TOXICITY
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
HABITAT
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CHALCOGENIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
540320 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)