Date of Award

2003

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.Sc.

Department

Biological Sciences

Keywords

Biology, Animal Physiology.

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

The round goby is an aggressive and prolific bottom dwelling fish species that threatens native economically and ecologically important fish in the Great Lakes. Its reproductive success may be mediated by the use of sex pheromones, with males attracting reproductive females to nests for spawning. As steroids have repeatedly been shown to function as conspecific signalling molecules (pheromones) mediating reproductive processes in teleosts, round goby males may release specific steroidal compounds to function as attractants to reproductive females. In this study, measurement of olfactory epithelial activity through electrolfactogram (EOG) analysis has shown that odors released by reproductive round goby males are potent olfactory stimulants to reproductive female round gobies, but not to nonreproductive phase animals. Reproductive females responded significantly greater than non-reproductive females to methanol soluble organic extract of water that contained reproductive males, a preparation designed to trap hydrophobic compounds such as steroids. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 44-01, page: 0227. Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2003.

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