Stress responses to conspecific visual cues of predation risk in zebrafish

• Autor(a) principal: Oliveira, Thiago Acosta
• Data de Publicação: 2017
• Outros Autores: Idalenciol, Renan, Kalichak, Fabiana, Santos Rosa, Joao Gabriel dos, Koakoskil, Gessi, Abreu, Murilo Sander de, Varrone Giacomini, Ana Cristina, Gusso, Dalian, Rosemberg, Denis Brook, Barreto, Rodrigo Egydio [UNESP], Gil Barcellos, Leonardo Jose
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3739; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/159848
• topic: Behavior; Communication; Cortisol; Stress; Prey predator interaction

Chemical communication relating to predation risk is a trait common among fish species. Prey fish under threat of predation can signal risk to conspecific fish, which then exhibit defensive responses. Fish also assess predation risk by visual cues and change their behavior accordingly. Here, we explored whether these behavioral changes act as visual alarm signals to conspecific fish that are not initially under risk. We show that shoals of zebrafish (Danio rerio) visually exposed to a predator display antipredator behaviors. In addition, these defensive maneuvers trigger antipredator reactions in conspecifics and, concomitantly, stimulate the hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal axis, leading to cortisol increase. Thus, we conclude that zebrafish defensive behaviors act as visual alarm cues that induce antipredator and stress response in conspecific fish.