Meeting Abstract

P2.139  Jan. 5  Funky Olfaction In Fluctuating Flows: Does A Crayfish Nose Know How To Make Sense Of Scents? MEAD, K. S.; Denison Univ., Granville OH meadk@denison.edu

Through a variety of physical mechanisms and at several scales, the local flow environment affects the shape of waterborne chemical signals. For instance, waves, current, turbulence, and substrate roughness affect both the shape of the odor plume downstream of an odor source and the nature of the odor filaments within the plume. Since crayfish rely on these chemical signals to extract information about predators, prey, and potential mates, one might expect the chemical sensors (aesthetascs) on crayfish antennules to be physically tuned to the presentation of chemical cues by the flow environment. This hypothesis was tested by comparing antennule length and aesthetasc length, diameter, and spacing among geographically and historically distinct populations of Orconectes virilis experiencing a variety of flow conditions within pond, hatchery, and river habitats. Multiple populations, each experiencing different flow conditions, were studied. Both live specimens and museum specimens were studied. Several size classes of male and female animals from newly hatched animals to full-sized adults were analyzed from the recently sampled populations. Structural parameters were measured using Scion Image software on SEM micrographs, and analyses of variance were performed using StatView. Antennule and aesthetasc structural parameters were found to increase with animal size and position along the antennule. Aesthetascs from low flow habitats were longer, thinner, and more widely spaced than aesthetascs from high flow habitats.