Influence of the eyes and pineal gland on locomotor activity patterns of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology
By: , and 

Metrics

17
Crossref references
Web analytics dashboard Metrics definitions

Links

Abstract

The influence of the eyes and pineal gland on locomotor activity rhythms of channel catfishIctalurus punctatus, and the extent to which varying light intensity altered these activity rhythms were evaluated. Locomotor activity was measured in normal, blinded, pinealectomized, and pinealectomized-blinded channel catfish exposed to a 12:12 light/dark photoperiod of decreasing light intensities (7,500, 175, and 0.7 lx). Normal, blinded, and pinealectomized fish exhibited nocturnal activity patterns which corresponded with the exogenous photoperiod. Fish without lateral eyes and pineal gland did not entrain to the photoperiod but had arrhythmic activity patterns. Neither treatment nor light intensity affected total locomotor activity. Blinding or pinealectomy decreased the level of dark-period activity at low light intensities, but the effect of light intensity was not observed in normal and pinealectomized-blinded fish. Normal and blinded fish under constant light or constant dark exhibited arrhythmic activity. The pineal gland functions as an extraretinal light receptor in channel catfish.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Influence of the eyes and pineal gland on locomotor activity patterns of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus
Series title Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology
DOI 10.1086/physzool.56.1.30159960
Volume 56
Issue 1
Year Published 1983
Language English
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Contributing office(s) Leetown Science Center
Description 8 p.
First page 10
Last page 17
Additional publication details