Integration of visual and chemical predator cues in the crayfish Orconectes propinquus.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine if the crayfish Orconectes propinquus does indeed respond to conspecific alarm odor. Specifically, this study asks whether the tail-flip response occurs more quickly in response to visual stimuli if crayfish are at the same time exposed to conspecific alarm odor. Upon observation of a response by O. propinquus to conspecific alarm odor, further tests in which the strength of the chemical stimulus is varied while the visual stimulus is held constant were also done to see whether this animal displays a graded or hierarchical behavioral structure in relation to the integration of chemical and visual inputs.