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Socializing makes thick-skinned individuals: on the density of epidermal alarm substance cells in cyprinid fish, the crucian carp (Carassius carassius)

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Abstract

In cyprinid fish, density of epidermal club cells (i.e. alarm substance cells) has been found to vary between lakes with different predator fauna. Because predators can be labelled with chemical cues from prey, we questioned if club cell density could be controlled indirectly by predators releasing prey cues. In particular, we suspected a possible feedback mechanism between chemical alarm signals and their cellular source. We raised crucian carp singly and in groups of four. For both rearing types, fish were exposed to skin extracts of either conspecifics or brown trout (without club cells), and provided either low or high food rations. Independent of rearing type, condition factor and club cell density increased with food ration size, but no change was found in club cell density following exposure to conspecific alarm signals. However, the density of club cells was found significantly higher for fish raised in groups than for fish raised alone. We conclude that an increased condition factor results in more club cells, but crucian carp may also possess an awareness of conspecific presence, given by higher club cell densities when raised in groups. This increase in club cell density may be induced by unknown chemical factors released by conspecifics.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Research Council of Norway, through grant no. 159213/V40. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. All handling and rearing of fish was carried out in accordance with the Norwegian national guidelines for treatment of animals. We want to thank Anna C. Faeravaag for her support in capturing fish and preparing tissue samples for histology, and Mette Tellefsen and her colleagues in the Pathology Group at Sørlandet Hospital HF who gave valuable support in the routine histology work. We are also indebted to Kirsten Bjørkestøl for her help in statistical calculations, James R. Mitchell for English corrections, and two anonymous reviewers for valuable comments to improve the paper.

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  1. Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Serviceboks 422, 4604, Kristiansand, Norway

    Ole B. Stabell & Anne Vegusdal

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  1. Ole B. Stabell
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  2. Anne Vegusdal
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Correspondence to Ole B. Stabell.

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Stabell, O.B., Vegusdal, A. Socializing makes thick-skinned individuals: on the density of epidermal alarm substance cells in cyprinid fish, the crucian carp (Carassius carassius). J Comp Physiol A 196, 639–647 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-010-0550-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-010-0550-4

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