Abstract
An alarm pheromone (alarm substance, Schreckstoff) is released when the epidermis of an ostariophysian or gonorhynchiform fish is damaged. Conspecifics respond with a fright reaction. The alarm substance and fright reaction are both absent in some specialized ostariophysians. Others, such as blind cave fish, lose just the fright reaction. Some cyprinids, which have abrasive spawning behavior, lose the alarm substance, but not necessarily the fright reaction, during the breeding season. The development and mainĀtenance of the alarm substance cells may be an example of animal-altruism maintained by kin selection.
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Smith, R.J.F. (1977). Chemical Communication as Adaptation: Alarm Substance of Fish. In: MĆ¼ller-Schwarze, D., Mozell, M.M. (eds) Chemical Signals in Vertebrates. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2364-8_17
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2364-8_17
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