Behavioral analysis of substrate texture preference in a leech, Helobdella austinensis
| Autor: | William B. Kristan, Nathan Whitehorn, Rachel C. Kim, Kenny Ma, Elizabeth A. C. Heath-Heckman, Dylan Le, David A. Weisblat |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
0303 health sciences
Helobdella austinensis food.ingredient Materials science Behavior Animal Physiology 030310 physiology Helobdella Leech Substrate (printing) Texture (geology) Preference Article Behavioral analysis 03 medical and health sciences Behavioral Neuroscience 0302 clinical medicine food Leeches Animals Animal Science and Zoology Biological system 030217 neurology & neurosurgery Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics Sandpaper |
| Zdroj: | Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology. 205(2) |
| ISSN: | 1432-1351 |
| Popis: | Leeches in the wild are often found on smooth surfaces, such as vegetation, smooth rocks or human artifacts such as bottles and cans, thus exhibiting what appears to be a “substrate texture preference”. Here, we have reproduced this behavior under controlled circumstances, by allowing leeches to step about freely on a range of silicon carbide substrates (sandpaper). To begin to understand the neural mechanisms underlying this texture preference behavior, we have determined relevant parameters of leech behavior both on uniform substrates of varying textures, and in a behavior choice paradigm in which the leech is confronted with a choice between rougher and smoother substrate textures at each step. We tested two non-exclusive mechanisms which could produce substrate texture preference: (1) a Differential Diffusion mechanism, in which a leech is more likely to stop moving on a smooth surface than on a rough one, and (2) a Smoothness Selection mechanism, in which a leech is more likely to attach its front sucker (prerequisite for taking a step) to a smooth surface than to a rough one. We propose that both mechanisms contribute to the texture preference exhibited by leeches. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|
Full text from SpringerLink