TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of hunger and cestode parasitism on the shoaling decisions of small freshwater fish
AU - Barber, I.
AU - Huntingford, F. A.
AU - Crompton, W. T.
PY - 1995/9
Y1 - 1995/9
N2 - Individual minnowsPhoxinus phoxinusand three-spined sticklebacksGasterosteus aculeatuswere provided with a mutually exclusive choice between joining a shoal of conspecifics and foraging alone in a maze. The shoaling decisions and foraging behaviour of individual fish were studied when the fish were satiated and after 24- and 48-h periods of food deprivation. Hunger level was found to have a significant effect on shoaling behaviour. When satiated, fish of both species spent a greater proportion of time within one body length of the shoal and spent less time out of visual contact with the shoal than after periods of food deprivation. The effect of the cestode parasiteSchistocephalus soliduson the shoaling behaviour of stickleback hosts was complex. When satiated, infected fish spent less time than uninfected fish within one body length of the shoal, preferring to remain outside the shoal, yet within visual contact, although when food deprived there was no difference in the proportion of time spent by infected and uninfected fish close to the shoal. The possible ecological significance of this change in behaviour is discussed with reference to the manipulation hypothesis of host-parasite interactions.
AB - Individual minnowsPhoxinus phoxinusand three-spined sticklebacksGasterosteus aculeatuswere provided with a mutually exclusive choice between joining a shoal of conspecifics and foraging alone in a maze. The shoaling decisions and foraging behaviour of individual fish were studied when the fish were satiated and after 24- and 48-h periods of food deprivation. Hunger level was found to have a significant effect on shoaling behaviour. When satiated, fish of both species spent a greater proportion of time within one body length of the shoal and spent less time out of visual contact with the shoal than after periods of food deprivation. The effect of the cestode parasiteSchistocephalus soliduson the shoaling behaviour of stickleback hosts was complex. When satiated, infected fish spent less time than uninfected fish within one body length of the shoal, preferring to remain outside the shoal, yet within visual contact, although when food deprived there was no difference in the proportion of time spent by infected and uninfected fish close to the shoal. The possible ecological significance of this change in behaviour is discussed with reference to the manipulation hypothesis of host-parasite interactions.
KW - Gasterosteus aculeatus
KW - hunger
KW - manipulation hypothesis
KW - Phoxinus phoxinus
KW - Schistocephalus solidus
KW - shoaling behaviour
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0028979875&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1006/jfbi.1995.0156
DO - 10.1006/jfbi.1995.0156
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0028979875
SN - 0022-1112
VL - 47
SP - 524
EP - 536
JO - Journal of Fish Biology
JF - Journal of Fish Biology
IS - 3
ER -