Behavioral Lateralization and Anatomical Asymmetry in Pleuronectiform Fishes

Date of Award

2010

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Demski, Leo

Keywords

Lateralization, Pleuronectiform, Flatfish, Asymmetry

Area of Concentration

Marine Biology

Abstract

Evidence of lateralized behaviors has been reported for over fifteen species of fish, including flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes). Pleuronectiforms are some of the most asymmetrical vertebrates, possessing a number of asymmetries in anatomy and in behavior. The anatomical asymmetries produced in metamorphosis can occur in either direction, depending on the taxon. Lateralization of predator evasion response was investigated for two species of pleuronectiform fishes: Paralichthys albigutta and Pseudopleuronectes americanus. P. albigutta has its eyes on the left side of its head (sinistral) and P. americanus is right-eyed (dextral). When repeatedly ushered through a Y-maze by a simulated predator, P. albigutta showed a strong initial bias to turn right, and P. americanus showed a strong initial bias towards the left. The strength of both preferences diminished over subsequent sessions. These opposing biases correlate with the chirality of asymmetry in these species. This evidence suggests that the direction of lateralization may be conserved across sinistral and dextral flatfishes respectively.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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