Synopsis
Incidence of territoriality and frequency of six agonistic action patterns of juvenile brown bullhead, Ictalurus nebulosus, were observed in the laboratory over a two year period at two fish densities under conditions of constant light and temperature. High density fish showed little territoriality or agonistic behavior while low density fish displayed an annual cycle of agonistic behavior and territoriality. Agonistic behavior frequency and incidence of territoriality peaked in February and March and were higher the second year when compared with the first.
Similar content being viewed by others
References cited
Altmann, J. 1974. Observational study of behavior: sampling methods. Behavior 49: 227–267.
Bardach,J.E. & J.H. Todd. 1970. Chemical communication in fish. pp. 205–240. In: J.W. Johnston Jr., D.G. Moulton & A. Turk (ed.) Advances in Chemoreception, Vol I, Appleton-Century-Croft, New York.
Barnikol, P.G. & W.C. Starrett. 1951. Commercial and sport fishes of the Mississippi River. III. Nat. History Surv. Bull. 25: 267–350.
Breder, C.M. 1935. The reproductive habits of a common catfish Ameiurus nebulosus (Le Sueur), with a discussion of their significance in ontogeny and phylogeny. Zoologica, N.Y. 19: 143–179.
Burke, M. & J.F. Leatherland. 1983. Seasonal changes in serum thyroid hormone levels of the feral brown bullhead, Ictalurus nebulosus Le Sueur. J. Fish Biol. 23: 585–593.
Campbell, R.O. & B.A. Branson. 1978. Ecology and population dynamics of the black bullhead, Ictalurus melas (Rafinesque) in central Kentucky. Tulane Studies in Zoology and Botany 20: 99–136.
Colke, K.S. 1976. Social behavior and social organization of young rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, of hatchery origin. M. Sc. Thesis, University of Guelph, Guelph. 100 pp.
Eycleshymer, A.C. 1901. Observations on the breeding habits of Ameiurus nebulosus. Amer. Nat. 35: 911–918.
Farwell, M.K. & J.M. Green. 1974. Agonistic behavior of juvenile Stichaeus punctatus (Pisces: Stichaeidae). Can. J. Zool. 51: 449–456.
Ferguson, M.M. & D.L.G. Noakes. 1982. Genetics of social behaviour in charrs (Salvelinus species). Anim. Behav. 30: 128–134.
Ferguson, M.M., D.L.G. Noakes & D. Romani. 1983. Restricted behavioural plasticity of juvenile lake charr, Salvelinus namaycush. Env. Biol. Fish. 8: 151–156.
FitzGerald, G.J. & M.H.A. Keenleyside. 1978. The effects of numerical density of adult fish on reproduction and parental behavior in the convict cichlid fish Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum (Günther). Can. J. Zool. 56: 1367–1371.
Gibson, R.N. 1968. The agonistic behavior of juvenile Blennius pholis L. (Teleostei). Behaviour 30: 192–218.
Kalleberg, H. 1958. Observations in a stream tank of territoriality and competition in juvenile salmon and trout (Salmo salar L. and S. trutta L.). Rep. Inst. Freshwater Res. Drotthingholm 39: 55–98.
Keenleyside, M.H.A. & F.T. Yamamoto. 1962. Territorial behavior of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Behaviour 19: 139–169.
Kendall, W.C. 1910. American catfishes: habits, culture and commercial importance. Rep't U.S. Comm. Fisheries 1908: 3–39.
Kleinbaum, D.D. & L.L. Kupper. 1978. Applied regression analysis and other multivariate methods. Duxburg Press, North Scituate. 556 pp.
Martin, N.V. & C.H. Olver. 1980. The lake charr, Salvelinus namaycush. pp. 205–277. In: E.K. Balon (ed.) Charrs. Salmonid Fishes of the genus Salvelinus, Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague.
McNicol, R.E. 1979. Territory defense among juvenile brook charr (Salvelinus frontinales) in an artificial stream channel. M. Sc. Thesis, University of Guelph, Guelph. 119 pp.
McNicol, R.E. & D.L.G. Noakes. 1981. Territories and territory defense in juvenile brook charr, Salvelinus fontinalis (Pisces: Salmonidae). Can. J. Zool. 59: 22–28.
McNicol, R.E. & D.L.G. Noakes. 1979. Caudal fin branding fish for individual recognition in behaviour studies. Behav. Res. Math. Instrum. 11: 95–97.
Noakes, D.L.G. 1980. Social behaviour in young charr. pp. 683–701 In: E.K. Balon (ed.) Charrs, Salmonid Fishes of the Genus Salvelinus. Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague.
Noakes, D.L.G. 1978. Early behaviour in fishes. Env. Biol. Fish. 3: 321–326.
Noakes, D.L.G. & J.F. Leatherland. 1977. Social dominance and interrenal cell activity in rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri (Pisces, Salmonidae). Env. Biol. Fish. 2: 131–136.
Ohm, D. 1964. Die Entwicklung des Kommentkampfverhaltens bei Jungcichliden. Z. Tierpsychol. 21: 308–325.
Rasa, O.A.E. 1971. Appetence for aggression in juvenile damsel fish. Paul Parey, Berlin, 70 pp.
Runyon, R.P. & A. Haber. 1967. Fundamentals of behavioral statistics. Addison-Wesley, London. 304 pp.
Smith-Grayton, P.K. & M.H.A. Keenleyside. 1978. Male-female parental roles in Herotilapia multispinosa (Pisces: Cichlidae). Anim. Behav. 26: 520–526.
Todd, J. 1968. The social behavior of the yellow bullhead, Ictalurus natalis. Ph. D. Thesis, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 172 pp.
Wyman, R.L. & J.A. Ward. 1973. The development of behavior in the cichlid fish Etropulus maculatus (Bloch). Z. Tierpsychol. 33: 461–491.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Carr, M.G., Carr, J.E. & Johnson, S.R. Seasonal changes in territoriality and frequency of agonistic behavior in two densities of juvenile brown bullhead, Ictalurus nebulosus . Environ Biol Fish 19, 175–181 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005347
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005347