Ecological study on acquisition of lateralized behavior

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05230
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Oda Yoichi 名古屋大学, 理学研究科, 名誉教授 (00144444)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 畑 啓生 愛媛大学, 理工学研究科(理学系), 准教授 (00510512) ; 竹内 勇一 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 助教 (40508884)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: タンガニーカ湖 / マラウィ湖 / シクリッド / 鱗食魚 / 鰭食魚 / 左右性 / 捕食行動 / 口部形態

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to reveal the developmental process of laterality in morphology and feeding behavior of scale-eating cichlids, Perissodus microleps (P.m.) in Lake Tanganyika and Genyochromis mento (G.m.) in Lake Malawi. We collected these cichlids and analyzed the scales found inside the stomach and lower jaw morphology of them. Results indicated that both cichlids showed attack side preference corresponding to the left-right difference of mouth morphology. Further, we successfully bred P.m. in aquarium and found that P.m. had an innate kinematic laterality and that the attach side preference was gradually strengthened through scale-eating experience. We also succeeded in observing prey attach of G.m. in aquarium. The degree of attack side preference and the mouth asymmetry of G. m. was relatively weaker than that of P.m. Taken together, it is suggested that these cichlids develop, through experience, the lateralized hunting of prey fish by using their lateralized mouth.

Free Research Field

神経科学