Damsel in distress: captured damselfish prey emit chemical cues that attract secondary predators and improve escape chances.

ABSTRACT: In aquatic environments, many prey animals possess damage-released chemical alarm cues that elicit antipredator behaviours in responsive con- and heterospecifics. Despite considerable study, the selective advantage of alarm cues remains unclear. In an attempt to investigate one of the more promising hypotheses concerning the evolution of alarm cues, we examined whether the cue functions in a fashion analogous to the distress vocalizations emitted by many terrestrial animals. Our results suggest that chemical alarm cues in damselfish (Pomacentridae) may have evolved to benefit the cue sender by attracting secondary predators who disrupt the predation event, allowing the prey a greater chance to escape. The coral reef piscivore, the dusky dottyback (Pseudochromis fuscus), chemically eavesdro

SUBMITTER: Lonnstedt OM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4650161 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature