Synopsis
Locomotor activity rhythm in the hypogean population of Nemacheilus evezardi was recorded first under light-to-dark (LD) 12:12 h cycle and then DD. The results were compared with that of its epigean counterpart held under comparable regimes. In LD 12:12, while hypogean loach exhibited a distinct bimodality in its locomotor activity rhythm, it was altogether absent in the case of epigean population. In hypogean loach, dark-to-light transition peak in LD was observed to free-run under DD. The same was not discernible in case of epigean loach. The locomotor activity rhythm in epigean fish was noticed to free-run in DD either from the dawn peak or dusk peak in LD. It is hypothesized that the hypogean fish still possesses a functional oscillator underlying its overt circadian rhythm in locomotor activity. The ecophysiological significance of these findings is yet to be fully understood.
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Pati, A.K. (2001). Temporal organization in locomotor activity of the hypogean loach, Nemacheilus evezardi, and its epigean ancestor. In: Romero, A. (eds) The biology of hypogean fishes. Developments in environmental biology of fishes, vol 21. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9795-1_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9795-1_9
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