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Characterization of Social Sleep Behavior in Astyanax Mexicanus

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Date Issued:
2019
Abstract/Description:
Sleep is a near universal behavior throughout the animal kingdom. In mammals, sleep is impacted by many different environmental traits including food availability, light-dark cycles, and social expeeence. Although, sleep behavior has been studied with individual fish, the effects of social interactions on sleep has not been studied in any fish species. Astyanax mexicanus offers a model to study sleep because it has multiple morphs derived from a common ancestor. We investigated sleep in Pachón cavefish and surface fish by comparing sleep in individual fish to those in social groups. We discovered that when Pachón cavefish are placed in a social group do not display differences in sleep relative to Pachón fish in isolation. In contrast, surface fish behaved significantly differently in social groups compared to non-social surface fish groups. This study is the first to demonstrate that sociality effects sleep and fish, and suggests this social regulation of sleep was lost in cavefish evolution.
Title: Characterization of Social Sleep Behavior in Astyanax Mexicanus.
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Name(s): Lopatto, Arthur, author
Keene, Alex C. , Thesis advisor
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Thesis
Date Created: 2019
Date Issued: 2019
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Jupiter, Florida
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 27 p.
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Sleep is a near universal behavior throughout the animal kingdom. In mammals, sleep is impacted by many different environmental traits including food availability, light-dark cycles, and social expeeence. Although, sleep behavior has been studied with individual fish, the effects of social interactions on sleep has not been studied in any fish species. Astyanax mexicanus offers a model to study sleep because it has multiple morphs derived from a common ancestor. We investigated sleep in Pachón cavefish and surface fish by comparing sleep in individual fish to those in social groups. We discovered that when Pachón cavefish are placed in a social group do not display differences in sleep relative to Pachón fish in isolation. In contrast, surface fish behaved significantly differently in social groups compared to non-social surface fish groups. This study is the first to demonstrate that sociality effects sleep and fish, and suggests this social regulation of sleep was lost in cavefish evolution.
Identifier: FAUHT00125 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (B.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, 2019.
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00125
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
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Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.

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