Synopsis
The sand goby from the Oslofjord, Norway, is extremely eurythermal. In spring and autumn it avoids temperatures lower than about 4° C, in summer 6° C. Acclimation did not influence the lower avoidance temperature, but the critical thermal maximum, the upper avoidance temperature and the temperature where the whole fish darkened (the darkening temperature) varied with acclimation and season. The darkening temperature is suggested to be the upper temperature limit with the greatest ecological significance. The fish, collected at different seasons darkened at between 19.5 and 22° C. In the field the fish is not found at 20° C and higher.
The preference temperature varied with season and with acclimation temperature, generally with low precision. In May, the preference temperature was 13.5° C, that is higher than the ambient temperature of 10° C. In summer, the temperature in sampling locality and preference temperature was the same, 17 and 16.5° C respectively. In October, temperature preference was 7.5° C as compared to 9° C in the field. The variation is explained as a behavioural thermoregulation to direct the fish towards optimal conditions at any time.
The seasonal variation in preference temperature can not be ascribed only to seasonal variation in temperature, that is an acclimation phenomenon, but other factors are operative as well, factors which will modify the temperature tolerance in the fish.
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Hesthagen, I.H. Temperature selection and avoidance in the sand goby,Pomatoschistus minutus (Pallas), collected at different seasons. Environ Biol Fish 4, 369–377 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005526
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005526