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Effects of Mercury Chloride (HgCl2) on Betta Splendens Aggressive Display

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Bruno de Matos Mansur ,
Caio Neno Silva Cavalcante ,
Bruno Rodrigues dos Santos  and
Amauri Gouveia Jr.
Bruno de Matos Mansur*
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Pará (Brazil)
Caio Neno Silva Cavalcante
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Pará (Brazil)
Bruno Rodrigues dos Santos
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Pará (Brazil)
Amauri Gouveia Jr.
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Pará (Brazil)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Bruno de Matos Mansur. Universidade Federal do Pará - Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01 - Guamá. CEP 66075-110. Caixa postal 479. Belém - Pará – Brazil. E-mail: bmmansur@hotmail.com
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Abstract

Mercury chloride (HgCl2) is a toxic mercury salt and a major pollutant, that can be found in soil, water and air, with influences on behavior, physiology and adaptation to the environment. In this study two experiments were designed to examine interactions and effects of HgCl2 on some behavioral patterns of Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens). In the first experiment we tested the effect of a progressive dose (five 0.04 mg) on aggressive display with exposure to a mirror, whereas in the second experiment we tested the effect of an acute dose (0.2 mg) on the aggressive display with exposure to a mirror. The experiments were performed on 5 consecutive sessions at intervals of 18 hours between sessions. Differences of performance were shown by subjects in the acute and progressive treatments when compared with a control treatment in the majority of behaviors evaluated, namely Floating, Slow Swimming, Wavy Swimming, Emerging, Bend, Square Move and Motor Display Components. Acute treatment was different from control only on Show Body, while the progressive group differed on Resting, Horizontal Display and Appropriate Display Components. Differences between Correlate Display Components and Total were also shown. Both the acute and progressive contamination with HgCl2 decrease the motor activity in the aggressive display, mirror-image test of Betta splendens, mainly on the progressive dose. This implies an impairment on feeding behavior, predator avoidance, reproductive behavior, mate choice and territoriality. These results suggest that in this fish species, the progressive dose has a greater effect on behavior in general and that both the acute and progressive contamination with mercury chloride affect many other aspects of behavior.

El cloruro de mercurio (HgCl2) es una sal de mercurio tóxica y un contaminante importante, que se puede encontrar en el suelo, agua y aire, y que influye en el comportamiento, la fisiología y la adaptación al medio ambiente. En este estudio, dos experimentos fueron diseñados para examinar las interacciones y los efectos del HgCl2 en algunos patrones de comportamiento de peces luchadores siameses (Betta splendens). En el primer experimento se evaluó el efecto de una dosis progresiva (cinco 0,04 mg) en la exhibición agresiva con exposición a un espejo, mientras que en el segundo experimento se evaluó el efecto de una dosis aguda (0,2 mg) en la exhibición agresiva con exposición a un espejo. Los experimentos se realizaron en 5 sesiones consecutivas a intervalos de 18 horas entre sesiones. Se muestran diferencias de rendimiento por los sujetos en los tratamientos agudo y progresivas en comparación con un tratamiento de control en la mayoría de las conductas evaluadas, es decir, Flotación, Nado lento, Nado ondulado, Emergente, Doblado, Movimiento cuadrado y componentes de exhibición motora. El tratamiento agudo difiere del control sólo en Mostrar cuerpo, mientras que el grupo progresivo difiere en Reposo, Exhibición horizontal y en Componentes adecuados de exhibición. También se muestran las diferencias entre Correlación entre los componentes de exhibición y Total. Tanto la contaminación aguda como progresiva con HgCl2 disminuye la actividad motora en la exhibición agresiva en la prueba de imagen-espejo de Betta splendens, principalmente de la dosis progresiva. Esto implica un deterioro en el comportamiento de alimentación, de evitación a los depredadores, en el comportamiento reproductivo, la elección de pareja y la territorialidad. Estos resultados sugieren que en esta especie de pez, la dosis progresiva tiene un efecto mayor en el comportamiento en general, y que tanto la contaminación aguda como la progresiva con cloruro de mercurio afecta a muchos otros aspectos del comportamiento.

Keywords

mercury chlorideBetta splendensaggressive displayaggressivenesscloruro de mercurioBetta splendensexhibición agresivaagresividad
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 15 , Issue 1 , March 2012 , pp. 442 - 450
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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