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- Backström, Tobias, et al.
(författare)
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Dominance and stress signalling of carotenoid pigmentation in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus): Lateralization effects?
- 2015
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Ingår i: Physiology and Behavior. - : Elsevier BV. - 0031-9384 .- 1873-507X. ; 138, s. 52-57
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Social conflicts are usually solved by agonistic interactions where animals use cues to signal dominance or subordinance. Pigmentation change is a common cue used for signalling. In our study, the involvement of carotenoid-based pigmentation in signalling was investigated in juvenile Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Size-matched pairs were analysed for pigmentation both before and after being tested for competitive ability. We found that dominant individuals had fewer carotenoid-based spots on the right and left sides as well as lower plasma cortisol levels compared to subordinate individuals. Further, the number of spots on both sides was positively associated with plasma cortisol levels. These results indicate that carotenoid-based pigmentation in Arctic charr signals dominance and stress coping style. Further, it also appears as if carotenoid-based pigmentation is lateralized in Arctic charr, and that the right side signals aggression and dominance whereas the left side signals stress responsiveness. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 2. |
- Backström, Tobias, et al.
(författare)
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Social stress effects on pigmentation and monoamines in Arctic charr
- 2015
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Ingår i: Behavioural Brain Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0166-4328 .- 1872-7549. ; 291, s. 103-107
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pigmentation often signals status and in general melanin-based pigmentation is indicative of aggression and stress resilience in vertebrates. This is evident in the salmonids Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) where more melanin spotted individuals are more stress resilient. However, in the salmonid Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) it seems as if it is carotenoid-based pigmentation that signals aggression and stress resilience. In our study, social stress effects on carotenoid-based spots, and behavioural and physiological stress responses were investigated. Socially stressed individuals have more spots, and behavioural stress responses were associated with spots. Some of the results concerning physiological stress responses, such as plasma cortisol levels and monoaminergic activity, are associated with spottiness. Further, the earlier proposed lateralization of spots, with left side connected to stress responsiveness and right side to aggression, is to some extent validated although not conclusively. In conclusion, this study provides further evidence that more stressed charr have more carotenoid spots, and for the first time monoaminergic activity is shown to be connected with carotenoid pigmentation.
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| 3. |
- Backström, Tobias, et al.
(författare)
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The effect of anesthetics on carotenoid pigmentation and behavior in Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus)
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 1558-7878 .- 1878-7517. ; 10, s. 179-184
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Status of individual animals is often shown in pigmentation. For instance, stress responsiveness is associated with melanin-based pigmentation in vertebrates in general. This pattern is evident in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), with melanin-based spots indicating stress coping style. Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) differ from other salmonids in pigmentation but have an association between carotenoid-based pigmentation and stress coping style. These pigmentation differences could be used as a fast and simple tool for improving breeding programs. However, the procedure for photographing individuals is stressful. Therefore, we wanted to investigate if 3 common inhalation anesthetics could be used to reduce the stress involved in the procedure compared to a no-anesthetics group. Behavior was also monitored during the anesthetization. All 3 anesthetics (Aquacalm, Benzocaine, and MS-222) differed in pigmentation compared to the no-anesthetics group by having a higher number of spots. In the anesthetic treatments as well as the no-anesthetics group, the fish had elevated plasma cortisol levels. In fact, the no-anesthetics group had higher cortisol than treated fish. This was probably because of procedural differences such as time affecting the stress response. Furthermore, in a long-term experiment, all fish survived and had similar condition factors 1 week after photographing as before. Therefore, the method for photographing Arctic char is deemed safe and could be used as a tool for estimating stress coping style, but careful planning is needed for experiments using it
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