Evidence for a consistent use of external cues by marine fish larvae for orientation

Type Article
Date 2022-12
Language English
Author(s) Berenshtein IgalORCID1, 2, 3, Faillettaz RobinORCID1, 4, 5, Irisson Jean-Oliver6, Kiflawi Moshe7, 8, Siebeck Ulrike E.9, Leis Jeffery M.ORCID10, Paris Claire B.ORCID1
Affiliation(s) 1 : Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science University of Miami 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149, USA
2 : Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149, USA
3 : Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
4 : Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LOV), Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 06, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
5 : EDECOD (Ecosystem Dynamics and Sustainability), IFREMER, INRAE, Institut Agro, Lorient, France
6 : Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, LOV, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, F-06230, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
7 : Department of Life-Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, 84105, Beer-Sheva, Israel
8 : The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences of Eilat, Eilat, 88103, Israel
9 : Laboratory for Visual Neuroethology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
10 : Ecology and Biodiversity Centre, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TS, 7007, Australia
11 : Ichthyology, Australian Museum Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2001, Australia
Source Communications Biology (2399-3642) (Springer Science and Business Media LLC), 2022-12 , Vol. 5 , N. 1 , P. 1307 (9p.)
DOI 10.1038/s42003-022-04137-7
Abstract

The larval stage is the main dispersive process of most marine teleost species. The degree to which larval behavior controls dispersal has been a subject of debate. Here, we apply a cross-species meta-analysis, focusing on the fundamental question of whether larval fish use external cues for directional movement (i.e., directed movement). Under the assumption that directed movement results in straighter paths (i.e., higher mean vector lengths) compared to undirected, we compare observed patterns to those expected under undirected pattern of Correlated Random Walk (CRW). We find that the bulk of larvae exhibit higher mean vector lengths than those expected under CRW, suggesting the use of external cues for directional movement. We discuss special cases which diverge from our assumptions. Our results highlight the potential contribution of orientation to larval dispersal outcomes. This finding can improve the accuracy of larval dispersal models, and promote a sustainable management of marine resources.

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Publisher's official version 9 1 MB Open access
Supplementary Information 13 838 KB Open access
Description of Additional Supplementary Files 1 480 KB Open access
Supplementary Data 1 10 KB Open access
Supplementary Code 1 21 KB Open access
Reporting Summary 2 1 MB Open access
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