• search hit 1 of 4
Back to Result List

Electric pulse characteristics can enable species recognition in African weakly electric fish species

  • Communication is key to a wide variety of animal behaviours and multiple modalities are often involved in this exchange of information from sender to receiver. The communication of African weakly electric fish, however, is thought to be predominantly unimodal and is mediated by their electric sense, in which species-specific electric organ discharges (EODs) are generated in a context-dependent and thus variable sequence of pulse intervals (SPI). While the primary function of the electric sense is considered to be electrolocation, both of its components likely carry information regarding identity of the sender. However, a clear understanding of their contribution to species recognition is incomplete. We therefore analysed these two electrocommunication components (EOD waveform and SPI statistics) in two sympatric mormyrid Campylomormyrus species. In a set of five playback conditions, we further investigated which components may drive interspecific recognition and discrimination. While we found that both electrocommunication componentsCommunication is key to a wide variety of animal behaviours and multiple modalities are often involved in this exchange of information from sender to receiver. The communication of African weakly electric fish, however, is thought to be predominantly unimodal and is mediated by their electric sense, in which species-specific electric organ discharges (EODs) are generated in a context-dependent and thus variable sequence of pulse intervals (SPI). While the primary function of the electric sense is considered to be electrolocation, both of its components likely carry information regarding identity of the sender. However, a clear understanding of their contribution to species recognition is incomplete. We therefore analysed these two electrocommunication components (EOD waveform and SPI statistics) in two sympatric mormyrid Campylomormyrus species. In a set of five playback conditions, we further investigated which components may drive interspecific recognition and discrimination. While we found that both electrocommunication components are species-specific, the cues necessary for species recognition differ between the two species studied. While the EOD waveform and SPI were both necessary and sufficient for species recognition in C. compressirostris males, C. tamandua males apparently utilize other, non-electric modalities. Mapped onto a recent phylogeny, our results suggest that discrimination by electric cues alone may be an apomorphic trait evolved during a recent radiation in this taxon.show moreshow less

Export metadata

Additional Services

Search Google Scholar Statistics
Metadaten
Author details:Rebecca NagelORCiDGND, Frank KirschbaumORCiDGND, Volker Hofmann, Jacob Engelmann, Ralph TiedemannORCiDGND
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29132-z
ISSN:2045-2322
Title of parent work (English):Scientific Reports
Publisher:Nature Publishing Group
Place of publishing:London
Publication type:Article
Language:English
Date of first publication:2018/07/17
Publication year:2018
Release date:2018/10/10
Tag:Acoustic-Signals; Convergent Evolution; Dwelling Atlantic Mollies; Hypopomus-Occidentalis; Mormyrid Fish; Organ Discharge Patterns; Phylogenetic-Relationships; Poecili-Mexicana; Pollimyrus-Isidori; Sexual Selection
Volume:8
First page:1
Last Page:12
Funding institution:Universität Potsdam, Publikationsfonds
Funding number:PA 2018_40
Organizational units:Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Biochemie und Biologie
DDC classification:6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 60 Technik
5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 50 Naturwissenschaften / 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik
Peer review:Referiert
Grantor:Publikationsfonds der Universität Potsdam
Publishing method:Open Access
License (German):License LogoCC-BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International
External remark:Zweitveröffentlichung in der Schriftenreihe Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe ; 470
Accept ✔
This website uses technically necessary session cookies. By continuing to use the website, you agree to this. You can find our privacy policy here.