Sub-lethal concentrations of monocrotophos affect aggressive behavior of the fishes Astyanax altiparanae Garutti & Britski (Teleostei, Characidae) and Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus) (Teleostei, Cichlidae)

Cruz, André Luis da

doi:10.1590/S0101-81752002000400018

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of sublethal concentrations of the pesticide monocrotophos (organophosphate) on the agonistic behavior of two fishes species, Astyanax altiparanae Garutti & Britski, 2000 (lambari) and Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Nile tilapia). Sublethal concentrations of the pesticide for the two species were determined and lambari was more resistant than Nile tilapia. The sublethal concentrations were smaller than 400 mgl-1 for lambari and 20 mgl-1 for Nile tilapia. The two species were tested in grouping conditions (triads) and isolation, under monocrotophos concentrations of 200 mgl-1 for lambari and 5 mgl-1 for Nile tilapia. The concentration decreased the aggressiveness in lambari, but in Nile tilapia an opposite effect was detected. The results show a species-specific effect of the monocrotophoson aggression.

Teleostei; Astyanax altiparanae; Oreochromis niloticus; aggressive behavior; organophosphate; monocrotophos; sub-lethal concentrations

Sub-lethal concentrations of monocrotophos affect aggressive behavior of the fishes Astyanax altiparanae Garutti & Britski (Teleostei, Characidae) and Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus) (Teleostei, Cichlidae)

André Luis da Cruz

Rua Teodoro Demonte 268, ap. 12, 15091-260 São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brasil. E-mail: ajcruz@starmedia.com

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of sublethal concentrations of the pesticide monocrotophos (organophosphate) on the agonistic behavior of two fishes species, Astyanax altiparanae Garutti & Britski, 2000 (lambari) and Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Nile tilapia). Sublethal concentrations of the pesticide for the two species were determined and lambari was more resistant than Nile tilapia. The sublethal concentrations were smaller than 400 mgl^-1 for lambari and 20 mgl^-1 for Nile tilapia. The two species were tested in grouping conditions (triads) and isolation, under monocrotophos concentrations of 200 mgl^-1 for lambari and 5 mgl^-1 for Nile tilapia. The concentration decreased the aggressiveness in lambari, but in Nile tilapia an opposite effect was detected. The results show a species-specific effect of the monocrotophoson aggression.

Key words: Teleostei, Astyanax altiparanae, Oreochromis niloticus, aggressive behavior, organophosphate, monocrotophos, sub-lethal concentrations

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This work was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP nº 96/05322-9). The author is grateful to Dr. G.L. Volpato for the supervision and A.C.B. Tardivo for the skilful technical assistance.

Received in 13.V.2002; accepted in 23.X.2002.

ALVARENGA, C.M.D. & G.L. VOLPATO.1995. Agonistic profile and metabolism in alevins of the Nile tilapia, Physiol. Behav., Oxford, 57: 75-80.
BARKI, A. & G.L. VOLPATO.1998. Early social environment and the fighting behaviour of young Oreochromis niloticus (Pisces, Cichlidae). Behaviour, Leiden, 135: 913-929.
BLAXTER, J.H.S. & C.C. TENHALLERS-TJABBES.1992. The effect of pollutants on sensory systems and behaviour of aquatic animais. Netherl. Jour. Aquat. Ecol., Amsterdam, 26: 43-58.
CESP. 1985. Criação da Tilápía-do-Nílo. São Paulo, CESP, 12p.
FERNO, A. 1987. Aggressive behaviour between territorial cichlids (Astatotilapia burtoni) in relation to rank and territorial stability. Behaviour, Leiden, 103: 241-258.
FRANCK, D.; R.P. HANNES; H. LANFFERMANN & A. RIBOWSKI.1985. Effects of social isolation on aggressiveness in fish with special reference to the swordtail iXiphophorus helleri). Behav. Proces., Amsterdam, 10: 415-427.
FRANCK, D. & A. RIBOWSKI. 1987. Influences of prior agonistic experiences on aggression measures in the male swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii) Behaviour, Leiden, 103: 217-240.
GARUITI, V. & H.A. BRITSKI. 2000. Descrição de uma espécie nova de Astyanax (Teleostei: Characidae) da bacia do alto rio Paraná e considerações sobre as demais espécies do gênero na bacia. Comum. Mus, Ciênc. Tecnol. PUCRS, Sér. Zool., Porto Alegre, 13: 65-88.
GÉRY, J. 1977. Characoids of the world. Neptune City, T.F.H. Publications, 672p.
GIAQUINTO, P.C. & G.L. VOLPATO.1997. Chemical communication, aggression and conspecific recognition in the fish Nile tilapia. Physiol. Beh., Oxford, 62: 1333-1338.
KAUFMANN, J.H. 1983. On the definitions and functions of dominance and territoriality. Biol. Revue, New York, 58: 1-20.
LITTLE, E.E.; R.O. ARCHESKI; B.A. FLEROV & V.A. KOZLOVSKAYA.1990. Behavioral indicators of sublethal toxicity in rainbow troul. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol., New York, 19: 380-385.
LLOYD, R. 1992. Pollution and freshwater fish. Oxford, Fishing News Books, 176p.
PAVLOV, D. D.; G.M. CHUIKO; Y.V. GERASSIMOV & V.O. TONKOPIY.1992. Feeding behavior and brain acetylcholinesterase activity in bream (Abramis brama L.) as affected by DDVP, na organophosphorus insecticide. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C, Oxford, 103: 563-568.
SANTHAKUMAR, M.; M. BALAJI;K.R. SARAVANAN; O. SOUMADY & K. RAMADU. 2000. Effect of monocrotophos on the optomotor bevaviour of an air-breathing fish, Anabas testudineus (Bloch). Jour. Environ. Biol., Lucknow, 21: 65-68.
SANTHAKUMAR, M. & M. BALAJI.2000. Acute toxicity of an organophosphorus insecticide monocrotophos and its effects on behaviorof an aír-brathing fish, Anabas testudineus (Bloch). Jour. Environ. Biol., Lucknow, 21: 121-123.
SAZIMA, I.1977. Possible case of aggressive mimicry in a neotropical scale-eating fish. Nature, London, 270: 510-512.
SHPIGEL, M. & L. FISHELSON.1991. Territoriality and associated behaviour in three species ofthe genus Cephalopholis (Pisces: Serranidae) in the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. Jour. Fish Biol., London, 38: 887-896.
SKRIPSKY, T. & R. LOOSLI.1994. Toxicology of monocrotophos, p. 13-39. In: G.W. WARE (Ed). Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. New York, Springer-Verlag, Vol. 139, 460p.
TEJADA, A.W. & C.M. BAJET.1990: Fate of pesticide in rice-fish ecosystem. Philip. Agricultural, Laguna, 73: 153-163.
THANGNIPON,W.; W. THANGNIPON; P.L. LUANGPAIBOON; S. CHINABUT.1995. Effects of the organophosphate insecticide, Monocrotophos, on acetylcholinesterase activity in the Nile tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) brain. Neurochem. Research, New York, 20: 587-591.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
11 May 2009
Date of issue
Dec 2002

History

Received
13 May 2002
Accepted
23 Oct 2002

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] ALVARENGA, C.M.D. & G.L. VOLPATO.1995. Agonistic profile and metabolism in alevins of the Nile tilapia, Physiol. Behav., Oxford, 57: 75-80.

[2] BARKI, A. & G.L. VOLPATO.1998. Early social environment and the fighting behaviour of young Oreochromis niloticus (Pisces, Cichlidae). Behaviour, Leiden, 135: 913-929.

[3] BLAXTER, J.H.S. & C.C. TENHALLERS-TJABBES.1992. The effect of pollutants on sensory systems and behaviour of aquatic animais. Netherl. Jour. Aquat. Ecol., Amsterdam, 26: 43-58.

[4] CESP. 1985. Criação da Tilápía-do-Nílo. São Paulo, CESP, 12p.

[5] FERNO, A. 1987. Aggressive behaviour between territorial cichlids (Astatotilapia burtoni) in relation to rank and territorial stability. Behaviour, Leiden, 103: 241-258.

[6] FRANCK, D.; R.P. HANNES; H. LANFFERMANN & A. RIBOWSKI.1985. Effects of social isolation on aggressiveness in fish with special reference to the swordtail iXiphophorus helleri). Behav. Proces., Amsterdam, 10: 415-427.

[7] FRANCK, D. & A. RIBOWSKI. 1987. Influences of prior agonistic experiences on aggression measures in the male swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii) Behaviour, Leiden, 103: 217-240.

[8] GARUITI, V. & H.A. BRITSKI. 2000. Descrição de uma espécie nova de Astyanax (Teleostei: Characidae) da bacia do alto rio Paraná e considerações sobre as demais espécies do gênero na bacia. Comum. Mus, Ciênc. Tecnol. PUCRS, Sér. Zool., Porto Alegre, 13: 65-88.

[9] GÉRY, J. 1977. Characoids of the world. Neptune City, T.F.H. Publications, 672p.

[10] GIAQUINTO, P.C. & G.L. VOLPATO.1997. Chemical communication, aggression and conspecific recognition in the fish Nile tilapia. Physiol. Beh., Oxford, 62: 1333-1338.

[11] KAUFMANN, J.H. 1983. On the definitions and functions of dominance and territoriality. Biol. Revue, New York, 58: 1-20.

[12] LITTLE, E.E.; R.O. ARCHESKI; B.A. FLEROV & V.A. KOZLOVSKAYA.1990. Behavioral indicators of sublethal toxicity in rainbow troul. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol., New York, 19: 380-385.

[13] LLOYD, R. 1992. Pollution and freshwater fish. Oxford, Fishing News Books, 176p.

[14] PAVLOV, D. D.; G.M. CHUIKO; Y.V. GERASSIMOV & V.O. TONKOPIY.1992. Feeding behavior and brain acetylcholinesterase activity in bream (Abramis brama L.) as affected by DDVP, na organophosphorus insecticide. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C, Oxford, 103: 563-568.

[15] SANTHAKUMAR, M.; M. BALAJI;K.R. SARAVANAN; O. SOUMADY & K. RAMADU. 2000. Effect of monocrotophos on the optomotor bevaviour of an air-breathing fish, Anabas testudineus (Bloch). Jour. Environ. Biol., Lucknow, 21: 65-68.

[16] SANTHAKUMAR, M. & M. BALAJI.2000. Acute toxicity of an organophosphorus insecticide monocrotophos and its effects on behaviorof an aír-brathing fish, Anabas testudineus (Bloch). Jour. Environ. Biol., Lucknow, 21: 121-123.

[17] SAZIMA, I.1977. Possible case of aggressive mimicry in a neotropical scale-eating fish. Nature, London, 270: 510-512.

[18] SHPIGEL, M. & L. FISHELSON.1991. Territoriality and associated behaviour in three species ofthe genus Cephalopholis (Pisces: Serranidae) in the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. Jour. Fish Biol., London, 38: 887-896.

[19] SKRIPSKY, T. & R. LOOSLI.1994. Toxicology of monocrotophos, p. 13-39. In: G.W. WARE (Ed). Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. New York, Springer-Verlag, Vol. 139, 460p.

[20] TEJADA, A.W. & C.M. BAJET.1990: Fate of pesticide in rice-fish ecosystem. Philip. Agricultural, Laguna, 73: 153-163.

[21] THANGNIPON,W.; W. THANGNIPON; P.L. LUANGPAIBOON; S. CHINABUT.1995. Effects of the organophosphate insecticide, Monocrotophos, on acetylcholinesterase activity in the Nile tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) brain. Neurochem. Research, New York, 20: 587-591.