Abstract
The effects were studied of a 24-hour exposure to a subacute concentration of parathion on the locomotor behavior of several freshwater fish. Firstly, the effects were determined of the exposure on the locomotor orientation of the goldfish (Carassius auratus), bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), and Targemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in response to: a food odor in water flowing at 200 ml/min (odor/flow I) and 400 ml/min (odor/flow II) ad water without odor flowing at these rates (flow I and flow II, respectively), in a free choice situation. In the goldfish, prior to parathion exposure, the odor/flow I was significantly attractive whereas the odor/flow II, as compared with odor/flow I, was avoided, indicating odor and flow interacted. After exposure to parathion, odor/flow I ceased to be attractive whereas odor/flow II became attractive. The parathion exposure not only affected the response to flow I but reversed the statistical interaction between odor and flow which resulted in a three-factor interaction. In sunfish, prior to parathion exposure, odor/flow II was more attractive than any other condition. Following exposure, the response to flow II and to odor/flow II was avoidance, that to odor/flow I remained attractive; thus causing a parathion by flow interaction. Two weeks after exposure the relative response to the treatments was similar to that of unexposed fish. Statistical interaction occurred between flow and the two week interval. In bass, prior to parathion exposure, the odor/flow II was also more attractive than any other condition but the fish were unable to discriminate between odor/flow I and flow I alone. Following exposure, the fish became unable to discriminate between odor/flow II and flow I (the control), whereas particularly odor/flow I and, to a lesser extent, flow II were avoided. Thus, there was a significant interaction between odor and flow. After a two week interval, all treatments were attractive but the most significant relative attraction was that to odor/flow I. In addition, significant interactions were prevalent: between odor and the interval and the interval itself with odor and flow..
Rand, Gary Michael (1976). The effect of exposure to a subacute concentration of parathion on the locomotor behavior of several freshwater fish. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -508616.