Behavioral responses of the fry of the Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baeri and the stellate sturgeon Acipenser stellatus on substances inducing main types of gustatory sensation
Kasumyan, A.O.; Kazhlaev, A.A.
Voprosy Ichtiologii 33(3): 427-436
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-8752 Accession: 008216680
Responses of fry of the Siberian sturgeon (the 12th, 17th, and 38th after hatching) and of the stellate sturgeon (12th and 35th day after hatching) to substances producing sour (citric acid 5%, 1%, 0.1%, and 0.001%), bitter (calcium chloride 10%, 1% and 0.1%), sweet (sucrose 25%, 10%, 1%) and salty taste (sodium chloride 10%, 1%) were established with the help of behavioral test reactions. It was determined that extraoral and intraoral gustatory systems of the sturgeon fry of both species vary in the spectra of effective gustatory stimuli, the nature of behavioral responses to some of them, and the sensitivity level to them. Citric acid was found to be the most strong stimulant. It resulted in multiple intensification of the capture of experimental starch granules and their subsequent sharp rejection. Calcium chloride and sodium chloride produced a deterrent action; the reaction to sucrose was indifferent. The young larvae of both sturgeons reacted to sucrose, calcium chloride and sodium chloride granules in the same fashion as the fry at the time of transition to active feeding. The reaction to citric acid of the larvae of both groups differed from that of the fry. Threshold concentrations of the substances used were established for juveniles of all age groups.