Thermal preference in sympatric bichirs: senegal bichir polypterus senegalus and saddled bichir p. Endlicheri (polypteridae)

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Abstract

For the first time for Claudistia it is shown that Senegal bichir Polypterus senegalus and saddled bichir P. endlicherii exhibit thermopreferential behavior, the features of which differ between the two species. In the thermal-gradient field, the Senegal bichir in comparison to the saddled bichir is characterized by the lower motor activity, narrower range of the preferred temperatures, shifted toward the higher values (32–35 vs. 22–34°C), as well as relatively high mean preferred temperature (33.9 vs. 29.1°C), weighted for the time of occupancy of different temperature zones by the fishes. The differences of thermopreferential behavior we found could be caused by preference for different biotopes of the studied species, the distribution ranges of which overlap significantly.

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About the authors

V. V. Zdanovich

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Author for correspondence.
Email: zdanovich@mail.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

V. V. Sataeva

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: zdanovich@mail.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

A. O. Kasumyan

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: zdanovich@mail.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

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2. Fig. 1. Frequency of occurrence (–◆–) and duration of stay (–◼–) of the Senegal polypterus Polypterus senegalus in temperature zones of the thermogradient field at different time intervals after the start of the experiment, h: a – 0.25, b – 0.5, c – 1, d – 2, d – 3, f – 4, g – 24, h – 48.

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3. Fig. 2. Frequency of occurrence and duration of stay of Endlicher's polypterus Polypterus endlicherii in temperature zones of the thermogradient field at different time intervals after the start of the experiment, h: a – 0.5, b – 1, c – 2, d – 3, d – 4, f – 6, g – 24, h – 48. For designations, see Fig. 1.

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