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First published online December 26, 2008
Journal of Experimental Biology 212, 313-324 (2009)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2009
doi: 10.1242/jeb.022459
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The cardiac response of the crab Chasmagnathus granulatus as an index of sensory perception

Ana Burnovicz, Damian Oliva and Gabriela Hermitte*

Laboratorio de Neurobiología de la Memoria, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, IFIBYNE-CONICET, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina

* Author for correspondence (e-mail: ghermitte{at}fbmc.fcen.uba.ar)

Accepted 27 October 2008

When an animal's observable behavior remains unaltered, one can be misled in determining whether it is able to sense an environmental cue. By measuring an index of the internal state, additional information about perception may be obtained. We studied the cardiac response of the crab Chasmagnathus to different stimulus modalities: a light pulse, an air puff, virtual looming stimuli and a real visual danger stimulus. The first two did not trigger observable behavior, but the last two elicited a clear escape response. We examined the changes in heart rate upon sensory stimulation. Cardiac response and escape response latencies were also measured and compared during looming stimuli presentation. The cardiac parameters analyzed revealed significant changes (cardio-inhibitory responses) to all the stimuli investigated. We found a clear correlation between escape and cardiac response latencies to different looming stimuli. This study proved useful to examine the perceptual capacity independently of behavior. In addition, the correlation found between escape and cardiac responses support previous results which showed that in the face of impending danger the crab triggers several coordinated defensive reactions. The ability to escape predation or to be alerted to subtle changes in the environment in relation to autonomic control is associated with the complex ability to integrate sensory information as well as motor output to target tissues. This `fear, fight or flight' response gives support to the idea of an autonomic-like reflexive control in crustaceans.

Key words: invertebrates, cardiac response, behavior, sensory perception


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