Changes in brain arginine vasotocin, isotocin, plasma 11-ketotestosterone and cortisol in round goby, Neogobius melanostomus, males subjected to overcrowding stress during the breeding season

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• 作者：Ewa Soko?owska^a ; ^{ewasokol@iopan.gda.pl} ; Agnieszka Kleszczy¨½ska^a ; Hanna Kalamarz-Kubiak^a ; Bart?omiej Arciszewski^b ; Ewa Kulczykowska^a
• 关键词：Aggression ; Arginine vasotocin ; High fish density ; Isotocin ; Social behavior
• 刊名：Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology
• 出版年：2013
• 出版时间：June, 2013
• 年：2013
• 卷：165
• 期：2
• 页码：237-242
• 全文大小：652 K

文摘

In natural spawning grounds, breeding round goby, Neogobius melanostomus, males are exposed to various social stimuli, including high density of same-sex competitors and separation from females. We hypothesize that breeding males subjected to overcrowding in the wild experience high stress that affects their socio-sexual behavior and their relationships among conspecifics. We designed an experiment to mimic natural stimulation when highly aggregated breeding males are subjected to same-sex opponents. Males were sampled sequentially from experimental tank stocked at decreasing fish densities of 15 fish/m², 9 fish/m² and 4 fish/m². We studied the effects of overcrowding on male behavior and selected hormones, brain arginine vasotocin (AVT) and isotocin (IT) and plasma 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) and cortisol as these are known to play roles in reproduction and related social interactions. The highest brain AVT and plasma cortisol levels were measured in non-aggressive males kept in the overcrowded group of 15 fish/m². IT level was elevated in fish kept at the lower density of 9 fish/m², and at which the males began to display territoriality and aggression. The plasma level of 11-KT was similar in all the males. Brain AVT and IT and plasma cortisol along with behavioral observations can be applied as species-specific indicators of the well-being of round goby males.