Differences in Reproductive Behavior between Spawning and Non-Spawning Zebrafish Pairs and the Effects of 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2)

Reproductive success manifested by spawning and fertilization, in most fish, depends partly on an appropriate courtship behavior by both sexes. The zebrafish reproductive behavior can be resolved in some of its constituent elements by a computerized vision system and described in unbiased quantitati...

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Main Authors: Per G. Henriksen, Kristian Beedholm, Erik Baatrup
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2016-09-01
Series:Toxics
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/4/3/22
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author Per G. Henriksen
Kristian Beedholm
Erik Baatrup
author_facet Per G. Henriksen
Kristian Beedholm
Erik Baatrup
author_sort Per G. Henriksen
collection DOAJ
description Reproductive success manifested by spawning and fertilization, in most fish, depends partly on an appropriate courtship behavior by both sexes. The zebrafish reproductive behavior can be resolved in some of its constituent elements by a computerized vision system and described in unbiased quantitative terms. Pairs of adult male and female zebrafish were monitored with automatic video tracking at 16 Hz for 45 min in a tank with a spawning area in one corner. Subsequently, spawning, if any, was registered and the swimming behavior and mutual interactions of the two fish were quantified. Further, temporal and frequency distributions of average velocity and turning rate were produced. It is demonstrated that the courtship behavior in spawning pairs differs markedly from non-spawning pairs with differences in both male and female behavior. EE2 (17α-ethinylestradiol), a contraceptive hormone found in aquatic environments, has only a slight effect on these behavior differences between spawning and non-spawning pairs.
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spelling doaj.art-6f9b04020a1c41d893508c9c870b55cd2022-12-22T03:35:56ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042016-09-01432210.3390/toxics4030022toxics4030022Differences in Reproductive Behavior between Spawning and Non-Spawning Zebrafish Pairs and the Effects of 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2)Per G. Henriksen0Kristian Beedholm1Erik Baatrup2Department of Bioscience, Zoophysiology, C.F. Moellers Alle 3, Aarhus University, building 1131, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkDepartment of Bioscience, Zoophysiology, C.F. Moellers Alle 3, Aarhus University, building 1131, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkDepartment of Bioscience, Zoophysiology, C.F. Moellers Alle 3, Aarhus University, building 1131, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkReproductive success manifested by spawning and fertilization, in most fish, depends partly on an appropriate courtship behavior by both sexes. The zebrafish reproductive behavior can be resolved in some of its constituent elements by a computerized vision system and described in unbiased quantitative terms. Pairs of adult male and female zebrafish were monitored with automatic video tracking at 16 Hz for 45 min in a tank with a spawning area in one corner. Subsequently, spawning, if any, was registered and the swimming behavior and mutual interactions of the two fish were quantified. Further, temporal and frequency distributions of average velocity and turning rate were produced. It is demonstrated that the courtship behavior in spawning pairs differs markedly from non-spawning pairs with differences in both male and female behavior. EE2 (17α-ethinylestradiol), a contraceptive hormone found in aquatic environments, has only a slight effect on these behavior differences between spawning and non-spawning pairs.http://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/4/3/22zebrafishreproductive behaviorspawning17α-ethinylestradiolEE2
spellingShingle Per G. Henriksen
Kristian Beedholm
Erik Baatrup
Differences in Reproductive Behavior between Spawning and Non-Spawning Zebrafish Pairs and the Effects of 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2)
Toxics
zebrafish
reproductive behavior
spawning
17α-ethinylestradiol
EE2
title Differences in Reproductive Behavior between Spawning and Non-Spawning Zebrafish Pairs and the Effects of 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2)
title_full Differences in Reproductive Behavior between Spawning and Non-Spawning Zebrafish Pairs and the Effects of 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2)
title_fullStr Differences in Reproductive Behavior between Spawning and Non-Spawning Zebrafish Pairs and the Effects of 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2)
title_full_unstemmed Differences in Reproductive Behavior between Spawning and Non-Spawning Zebrafish Pairs and the Effects of 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2)
title_short Differences in Reproductive Behavior between Spawning and Non-Spawning Zebrafish Pairs and the Effects of 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2)
title_sort differences in reproductive behavior between spawning and non spawning zebrafish pairs and the effects of 17α ethinylestradiol ee2
topic zebrafish
reproductive behavior
spawning
17α-ethinylestradiol
EE2
url http://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/4/3/22
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