Smells Like Home: The Role of Olfactory Cues in the Homing Behavior of Blacktip Sharks, Carcharhinus limbatus.

摘要: Animal navigation in the marine environment is believed to be guided by different sensory cues over spatial scales. Geomagnetic are thought guide long-range navigation, while visual or olfactory allow animals pinpoint precise locations, but complete behavioral sequence not yet understood. Terra Ceia Bay a primary nursery area for blacktip sharks, Carcharhinus limbatus, on southwestern Florida's Gulf of Mexico coast. Young-of-the-year show strong fidelity specific home range northeastern end bay and rapidly return when displaced. Older juveniles demonstrate annual philopatry first few years, migrating as far south Florida Keys each fall, then returning spring. To examine used homing, we captured neonate (<3 weeks old) sharks from within their range, fitted them with acoustic tags, translocated sites 8 km away adjacent Tampa released them. Intact returned 34 h average, remained there. With olfaction blocked, fewer they took longer do so, 130 average. However, did remain there instead moved throughout out Bay. Since both treatments at night tannic turbid water, vision likely playing major role these animals. The this study also incoming slack tides, suggesting that like many other fish, may use selective tidal stream transport conserve energy aid during migration. Collectively, results suggest cues, possibly geomagnetic and/or information, might long distances, required recognizing range.