Journal Article

Light and dark rations and the photic entrainment of circadian locomotor activity patterns in the South American Silver Catfish (Rhamdia quelen, Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)

Scaglione, M.C., Cerutti, R.D., Arfuso, F. and Piccione, G.

Record Number:
4061
Year:
2018
Journal:
Biological Rhythms Research
Pages:
129-140
Volume:
49
Abstract:
Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the daily rhythm of locomotor activity in Rhamdia quelen ( R. quelen ). A total of 30 fish were enrolled in the study and were equally divided in 10 groups and maintained in 100 liters tanks. The locomotor activity was measured in fish maintained under the LD 12:12 photoperiod regime; thereafter, the LD cycle was reversed to DL in order to study the resynchronization and to explore the endogenous pacemaker. Subsequently, the fish were subjected to constant conditions of light to test whether or not locomotor rhythms are regulated by the endogenous circadian clock. The effect of increasing light length and intensity was studied on daily rhythm of locomotor activity of fish. Our results showed that the R. quelen is a strictly diurnal species, the rhythm of locomotory activity resynchronized quickly after inverting the LD cycle and persist under free course LL, suggesting a circadian origin. The light showed a significant masking effect often blocking the expression of the biological rhythm. The strictly diurnal behavior is controlled directly by the photoperiod and maintained even under very dim light (30 lux).
Times Cited:
9
Relevent Species:
Rhamdia enfurnada Bichuette and Trajano 2005Rhamdia guasarensis DoNascimiento, Provenzano and Lundberg 2004Rhamdia undescribed species Bodoquena [Mattox et al. 2008]Rhamdia typhla Greenfield, Greenfield, and Woods 1982Rhamdia reddelli Miller 1984Rhamdia zongolicensis Wilkens 1993Rhamdia macuspanensis Weber and Wilkens 1998Rhamdia laluchensis Weber, Allegrucci and Sbordoni 2003Rhamdia urichi (Norman 1926) Mees 1974