AVTergic modulation of the agonistic behavior in two species of weakly electric fish with different social strategies

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event AVTergic modulation of the agonistic behavior in two species of weakly electric fish with different social strategies Ana Silva1, 2* and Rossana Perrone1 1 Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Unidad Bases Neurales de la Conducta, Uruguay 2 Facultad de Ciencias, Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Uruguay Social behaviors in vertebrates are controlled by a complex and conserved brain network. It has been postulated that inter and intraspecific modulations of behavior are correlated with distinctively distributed patterns of this network, which depend on neuroendocrine messengers that integrate extrinsic and intrinsic cues. The hypothalamic neuropeptide arginine-vasotocin (AVT) and its mammalian homologue, vasopressin, are key integrators underlying interspecific, sexual, individual, and social context differences in behavior across vertebrate taxa. Comparative studies of AVT actions between related species with different social structure have been useful for the understanding of brain-behavior relationships. We used two species of weakly electric fish with different social strategies: Gymnotus omarorum, solitary and highly aggressive in intra and intersexual encounters all year round, and Brachyhypopomus gauderio, gregarious and only aggressive in intrasexual encounters during the breeding season. Our previous work showed that AVT produces an increase in the EOD basal rate in B. gauderio but not in G. omarorum, and that AVT is responsible for the nocturnal increase of EOD basal rate observed in the former species during the breeding season. In this study, we explored the effects of IP administration of AVT (1µg/g) and of its antagonist (Manning compound, MC, 2µg/g) in the agonistic behavior of both species. We analyzed dyadic encounters (control, n=10; AVT, n=10; MC, n=6) in independent experiments using experimental protocols in which we could predict the outcome of the conflict: 5-30% size asymmetry in intra and intersexual dyads of non-breeding G. omarorum, same size asymmetry + residency in breeding males of B. gauderio. Thirty minutes prior to the agonistic encounter, we injected AVT (or MC) to the potential winner and saline to the potential loser, and evaluated their effects on conflict resolution, levels of aggression and submission, and dynamics of electric and locomotor displays. AVT and MC administration in B. gauderio had no effect on the agonistic behavior except for their actions on EOD rate: AVT induced and MC blocked the increase of EOD rate observed in winners after conflict resolution. Interestingly, in AVT fights, the intruder significantly increased the emission of electric submission signals (offs) that were only rarely observed in control dyadic encounters. AVT induced no effects on the agonistic behavior of G. omarorum, whereas MC induced a decrease in the aggression levels, in the submission signaling, and prevented the decrease of EOD rate observed in control subordinates after conflict resolution. Taken together, our data indicate that the AVTergic system is involved in the modulation of the agonistic behavior of both species. This modulation shows important interspecific differences that might be crucial in shaping different neural strategies for the control of social behavior. Keywords: Aggression, hypothalamic neuropeptide, Neuromodulation Conference: Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology, College Park. Maryland USA, United States, 5 Aug - 10 Aug, 2012. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation (see alternatives below as well) Topic: Social Behavior Citation: Silva A and Perrone R (2012). AVTergic modulation of the agonistic behavior in two species of weakly electric fish with different social strategies. Conference Abstract: Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnbeh.2012.27.00071 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 13 Mar 2012; Published Online: 07 Jul 2012. * Correspondence: Dr. Ana Silva, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Unidad Bases Neurales de la Conducta, Montevideo, 11600, Uruguay, asilva@iibce.edu.uy Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Ana Silva Rossana Perrone Google Ana Silva Rossana Perrone Google Scholar Ana Silva Rossana Perrone PubMed Ana Silva Rossana Perrone Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.