Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Beulig, Alfred

Keywords

Cyprinodon, Time, Environment

Area of Concentration

Marine Biology

Abstract

The sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus variegatus) is known for being a hardy, social species ideal for study in both the wild and the laboratory and has been used as a biological standardization in toxicology studies. The species' means of marking territory, locomotion, and communication have been studied for over forty years. A more recent study showed a potential link between environmental stability and activity levels in fishes as the result of a drive to survive. However, that study did not encompass the Cyprinodontidae, and a definitive assessment of diurnal activity is lacking in this group. Accordingly, I studied time of day as an influence upon activity levels in Cyprinodon. Three levels of "environmental richness" were set up as experimental conditions. Videotapes of fish activity were recorded three times per day � morning, afternoon, and evening � and the number of times fish crossed any line was tallied. A significant difference was found across time of day and levels of environmental richness. No significant interaction between the two variables was found. This information confirms the importance of each variable, and experiments involving Cyprinodon variegatus variegatus should control for these factors to ensure consistency in observations.

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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