Respiratory response to the chemical cues of injured conspecifics and histology of skin in round goby, Neogobius melanostomus (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Gobiidae)

Abstract

Round goby, Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas, 1814), responded significantly to conspecific skin extract by decreasing the frequency of opercular movements during the first minute of post-stimulus period, suggesting cryptic behaviour as antipredator reaction of this species. Examination of skin samples of the goby revealed the presence of club cells in the epidermis, the putative source of chemical cues that induce antipredator reactions in other fish species and may be the source of round goby injury-released alarm signals. Observed change in opercular movements is the first evidence of a round goby response to the chemical cues of injured conspecifics.