The propensity for re-triggered predation fear in a prey fish.

ABSTRACT: Variation in predation risk can drive variation in fear intensity, the length of fear retention, and whether fear returns after waning. Using Trinidadian guppies, we assessed whether a low-level predation threat could easily re-trigger fear after waning. First, we show that background risk induced neophobia after either multiple exposures to a low-level threat or a single exposure to a high-level threat. However, a single exposure to the low-level threat had no such effect. The individuals that received multiple background exposures to the low-level threat retained their neophobic phenotype over an 8-day post-risk period, and this response was intensified by a single re-exposure to the low-level threat on day 7. In contrast, the neophobia following the single high-level threat waned over t

SUBMITTER: Crane AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7283299 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature