Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

SS23 In Transition: Biomechanics of Sensory Perception (Disciplinary Connections)

Date: Thursday, February 15, 2001, Time: 4:00:00 PM

Location: Acoma/Zuni/Tesuque

Keller, T, A, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA, troy.keller@biology.gatech.edu

Dusenbery, D, B, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA, david.dusenbery@biology.gatech.edu

Weissburg, M, J, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA, marc.weissburg@biology.gatech.edu

Characterizing the nature of blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) chemically-mediated search strategies using a laboratory flume and computer simulation

Although olfactory sensilla properties and chemosensory search behavior have been described for several taxa, determination of mechanisms organisms use during search behavior have remained elusive. Animal systems are difficult to manipulate in situ, making traditional methods of hypothesis testing difficult or impossible. Laboratory studies and computer simulations provide a practical way to investigate sensory and behavioral mechanisms of odor-guided navigation. We characterized the search strategies blue crabs use to find distant chemical stimulants in a marine recirculating flume. Crabs appear to rely on a combination of chemically-mediated rheotaxis and tropotaxis during olfactory search. We examined this hypothesis using computer simulations of crab searchers in a virtual chemical plume generated from planar laser induced fluorescence measurements in a laboratory flume. Simulated and real crabs showed strong correlation among movement parameters such as tack angle, search speed, and net to gross displacement. Results indicated that complex behaviors, such as chemically-mediated search, may result from simple strategic rules. Laboratory flume studies and computer simulations provide a powerful approach to decoding complexity of behavioral and sensory capabilities of aquatic organisms.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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