Date of Award
2012
Publication Type
Master Thesis
Degree Name
M.Sc.
Department
Biological Sciences
Keywords
Pure sciences, Psychology, Bioacoustic trap, Conspecific sounds, Neogobius melanostomus, Round gobies
Supervisor
Dennis M. Higgs
Supervisor
Lisa A. Porter
Rights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
A useful model group to examine reproductive plasticity in acoustic responsiveness is the family Gobiidae. Male round gobies Neogobius melanostomus emit calls and females respond to these calls with high specificity. The current study investigates differential attraction between reproductive morphologies of the goby to conspecific calls and explores the use of calls to develop a bioacoustic trap. Behavioural responsiveness to conspecific calls was tested using playback experiments in the lab and field. Females showed a strong attraction to the grunt call in both the lab and field, while nonreproductive and sneaker males preferred the drum call in the lab, but favoured the grunt call in the field. By determining the relationship between reproductive state and auditory responsiveness to conspecific calls, I am further elucidating the function of acoustic communication in the round goby and may be essential when creating control strategies to prevent the spread of the invasive species.
Recommended Citation
Isabella-Valenzi, Lisa, "Response of round gobies, Neogobius melanostomus, to conspecific sounds" (2012). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4783.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/4783