Meeting Abstract

P2.45  Saturday, Jan. 5  Preferred escape trajectories are not associated with performance benefits in the bluegill sunfish. DARAKANANDA, K.*; CONNOLLY, E.; HITCHCOCK, A.; JEONG, J.; QUIST, A.; ROBBINS, A.; ELLERBY, D.; Wellesley College dellerby@wellesley.edu

Fish show a high degree of variability in escape behavior, particularly in regard to their chosen direction of escape relative to a threat. By analyzing multiple escape responses from individual bluegill sunfish we have reconstructed, in detail, the circular frequency distribution of their escape angles. In most individuals, escape angles cluster around two or three preferred directions. This variation has largely been viewed as a behavioral strategy that limits the extent to which predators can predict escape behavior. It may also be driven by underlying proximate factors relating to musculoskeletal mechanical properties or to the hydrodynamics of thrust production during the fish fast-start. This being the case, there may be performance benefits associated with the preferred trajectories. To test this we compared performance, as indicated by peak velocity, peak acceleration, and distance moved, between escapes performed at or near the preferred escape angles and those performed at infrequently chosen angles. There were no detectable differences in performance in relation to escape angle. This is suggestive of the observed escape angle distribution being largely associated with behavioral factors, rather than being dictated by proximate factors relating to escape performance.