Serotonin Induces Female Swimming Behavior in Sexually Dimorphic Ostracod Crustaceans
Format
Poster Presentation
Faculty Mentor Name
Ajna Rivera
Faculty Mentor Department
Biological Sciences
Abstract/Artist Statement
Male and female Euphilomedes ostracod crustaceans exhibit extreme dimorphism in their sensory systems and behavior. Here we examine the neural basis of dimorphic locomotive behavior, testing the serotonin pathway as serotonin is known to mediate male-specific behaviors in other crustaceans (Bacque-Cazenave J, et al.). Male Euphilomedes spend about 90 minutes per night swimming in the water column, guided by their large compound eyes. Female Euphilomedes, on the other hand, lack compound eyes entirely and spend the majority of their time buried in the sand. They are only known to swim when disturbed. However, when treated with serotonin, preliminary results showed that the females began to exhibit male-like swimming behaviors, thus suggesting both males and females have neuronal circuitry for spontaneous swimming behavior. Whether this is an example of females exhibiting male behavior, or represents a rare undescribed female behavior is unclear, and should be examined further via various procedures to both quantify the expression of serotonin pathway genes and examine the brain differences between male and female Euphilomedes.
Location
Virtual
Start Date
25-4-2020 1:00 PM
End Date
25-4-2020 3:00 PM
Serotonin Induces Female Swimming Behavior in Sexually Dimorphic Ostracod Crustaceans
Virtual
Male and female Euphilomedes ostracod crustaceans exhibit extreme dimorphism in their sensory systems and behavior. Here we examine the neural basis of dimorphic locomotive behavior, testing the serotonin pathway as serotonin is known to mediate male-specific behaviors in other crustaceans (Bacque-Cazenave J, et al.). Male Euphilomedes spend about 90 minutes per night swimming in the water column, guided by their large compound eyes. Female Euphilomedes, on the other hand, lack compound eyes entirely and spend the majority of their time buried in the sand. They are only known to swim when disturbed. However, when treated with serotonin, preliminary results showed that the females began to exhibit male-like swimming behaviors, thus suggesting both males and females have neuronal circuitry for spontaneous swimming behavior. Whether this is an example of females exhibiting male behavior, or represents a rare undescribed female behavior is unclear, and should be examined further via various procedures to both quantify the expression of serotonin pathway genes and examine the brain differences between male and female Euphilomedes.