Name: recording behavioral responses to reflection in crayfish
Uploaded: 2010-05-14T17:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Recording Behavioral Responses to Reflection in Crayfish at JoVE.com

Research supported by NSERC.

1. Socialization
<ol>
	<li>To extinguish existing social ranks, each crayfish is housed for 7 - 14 days in a separate plastic container (30 cm long x 17.5 cm wide x 13 cm deep), filled with filtered, aerated water and a small plastic flower pot which serves as a shelter. If transparent containers are used, a divider (e.g. paper towel) is placed in between containers to ensure crayfish are visually isolated.</li>
	<li>Crayfish in the "Isolated" group remain in isolation for an additional 3 - 14 days. Water is chang...

<ol>
	<li>Bruski, C. A., Dunham, D. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+importance+of+vision+in+agonistic+communication+of+the+crayfish+Orconectes+rusticus.+I:+an+analysis+of+bout+dynamics.">The importance of vision in agonistic communication of the crayfish Orconectes rusticus. I: an analysis of bout dynamics.</a> Behav. 103, 83-107 (1987).</li><li>Delgado-Morales, G., Hernandez-Falcon, J., Ramon, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Agnostic+behavior+in+crayfish:the+importance+of+sensory+inputs.">Agnostic behavior in crayfish:the importance of sensory inputs.</a> Crustaceana. 77 (1), 1-24 (2004).</li><li>Guiasu, R. C., Dunham, D. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Inter-form+agonistic+contests+in+male+crayfishes,+Cambarus+robustus+(Decapoda,+Cambaridae).">Inter-form agonistic contests in male crayfishes, Cambarus robustus (Decapoda, Cambaridae).</a> Invert. Biol.. 117 (2), 144-154 (1998).</li><li>May, H. Y., Mercier, A. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Responses+of+crayfish+to+a+reflective+environment+depend+on+dominance+status.">Responses of crayfish to a reflective environment depend on dominance status.</a> Can. J. Zool. 84 (8), 1104-1111 (2006).</li><li>May, H. Y., Mercier, A. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Joffre+Duration+of+socialization+influences+responses+to+a+mirror:+responses+of+dominant+and+subordinate+crayfish+diverge+with+time+of+pairing.">Joffre Duration of socialization influences responses to a mirror: responses of dominant and subordinate crayfish diverge with time of pairing.</a> J. Exp. Biol. 210, 4428-4436 (2007).</li><li>May, H. Y., Luebbert, J., Mercier, A. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Responses+of+Crayfish+to+a+Visual+Stimulus+Provided+by+a+Conspecific.">Responses of Crayfish to a Visual Stimulus Provided by a Conspecific.</a> , (2008).</li></ol>

The observation that dominant crayfish spend more time in a reflective environment suggests that they recognize a reflected image as a conspecific, and that visual cues are sufficient to elicit approach behavior. Similar results using a live crayfish instead of a reflected image support such an interpretation. Subordinate and isolated crayfish do not show such a preference for the reflective environment, nor do subordinate crayfish appear to prefer a live crayfish over a cube. Thus, responses to visual cues depend on ...

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		<th>Material Name</th>
		<th>Type</th>
		<th>Company</th>
		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
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<td>Single chamber test tank</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Brock University Machine Shop</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>End-chamber test tank</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Brock University Machine Shop</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Isolation container</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Rubbermaid</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>30 cm x 17.5 cm x 13 cm holes in lid to allow air and light to pass through when lid is on</td>
</tr>
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<td>Fighting chamber</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>48 cm x 25 cm x 13 cm</td>
</tr>
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<td>Social housing chamber</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>58 cm x 30 cm x 35 cm</td>
</tr>
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<td>small plastic flower pot</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>to serve as shelter</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Coolpix 4500 camera</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Nikon</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>T120 video cassette recorder</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>RCA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Computer</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Windows Movie Maker or other video acquiring software</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>webcam</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Logitech</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>modelling clay</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sculptee</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>to make control cube</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>red latex paint</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>FolkArt</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>to make control cube</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>waterbase varnish</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>FolkArt</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>to make control cube</td>
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recording behavioral responses to reflection in crayfish

Social behavior depends on sensory input from the visual, mechanical and olfactory systems. One important issue concerns the relative roles of each sensory modality in guiding behavior. The role of visual inputs has been examined by isolating visual stimuli from mechanical and chemosensory stimuli. In some studies (Bruski &amp; Dunham, 1987: Delgado-Morales et al., 2004) visual inputs have been removed with blindfolds or low light intensity, and effects of remaining sensory modalities have been elucidated. An alternative approach is to study the effects of visual inputs in the absence of any appropriate mechanical and chemosensory cues. This approach aims to identify the exclusive role of visual inputs. 
We have used two methods to provide visual stimuli to crayfish without providing chemical and mechanical cues. In one method, crayfish are videotaped in an aquarium where half of the walls are covered in mirrors to provide a reflective environment, and the other half are covered in a non-reflective (matte finish) plastic. This gives the crayfish a choice between reflective and non-reflective environments. The reflective environment provides visual cues in the form of reflected images of the crayfish as it moves throughout half of the tank; these visual cues are missing from the non-reflective half of the tank. An alternative method is to videotape the behavior of crayfish in an aquarium separated by a smaller chamber at each end, with a crayfish in one small chamber providing visual cues and an inert object in the opposite small chamber providing visual input from a non-moving, non-crayfish source. 
Our published results indicate that responses of crayfish to the reflective environment depend on socialization and dominance rank. Socialized crayfish spent more time in the reflective environment and exhibited certain behaviors more frequently there than in the non-reflective environment; isolated crayfish showed no such differences. Crayfish that were housed in same-sex pairs developed a social rank of either dominant or subordinate. Responses to reflection differed between dominant and subordinate crayfish (May &amp; Mercier, 2006; May &amp; Mercier, 2007). Dominant crayfish spent more time on the reflective side, entered reflective corners more frequently and spent more time in reflective corners compared to the non-reflective side. Subordinate crayfish walked in reverse more often on the reflective side than on the non-reflective side. Preliminary data suggest similar effects from visual cues provided by a crayfish in a small adjoining chamber (May et al., 2008).

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Recording Behavioral Responses to Reflection in Crayfish at JoVE.com

Recording Behavioral Responses to Reflection in Crayfish

We have developed two methods for studying effects of visual cues on behavior in the absence of tactile and chemical cues. One method involves videotaping responses of crayfish to reflective walls in an aquarium; the other examines effects of visual inputs provided by a live crayfish behind a transparent partition.

Social behavior depends on sensory input from the visual, mechanical and olfactory systems.  One important issue concerns the relative roles of each ...

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