Electrocommunication signals in free swimming brown ghost knifefish, Apteronotus leptorhynchus

• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.013516
• Publication Date: 2008-05-04T04:50:54Z
• Authors: Ginette J. Hupé; John E. Lewis
• Keywords: Male; Analysis of Variance; Electric Organ; Gymnotiformes; Video Recording; Aggression; Animal Communication; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Animals; Female; 14. Life underwater

SUMMARY Brown ghost knifefish, Apteronotus leptorhynchus, are a species of weakly electric fish that produce continuous organ discharge (EOD)that is used in navigation, prey capture and communication. Stereotyped modulations EOD frequency amplitude common social situations thought to serve as communication signals. Of these modulations, the most commonly studied chirp. This study presents quantitative analysis chirp production pairs free-swimming, physically interacting male female A. leptorhynchus. Under conditions, we found addition chirps, second signal type, type rise called abrupt rises, AFRs. By quantifying behaviours associated with production, find Type 2 chirps tend be produced when apart, following periods low aggression,whereas AFRs aggressively attacking one another close proximity. first our knowledge quantitatively describes both electrocommunication signalling behavioural correlates on subsecond time-scale wave-type fish.