A neuroethological study of the sexual behavior in the salmon

对于动物来说，像许多鱼类一样，精子和卵子释放的时间对于成功受精至关重要。在姬三文鱼（内陆红鲑，Oncorhynchus nerka）这是通过在两性之间交换特定的信号来实现的。在这项研究中，我们的目的是澄清（1）两性之间交换的信号是什么及其特征，（2）处理这些信号的感觉系统是什么，以及（3）行为学和电生理学方法的结果表明，姬鲑在两性之间交换的振动信号，既有来自中枢神经系统的，也有来自中枢神经系统的，身体振动和视觉信号来诱导产卵行为。振动信号通过侧线系统处理，以将它们与来自视觉信号的振动信号整合。此外，还发现，场电位是从延髓内侧核（振动信息的第一中继站）诱发的，与振动刺激同步。

For animals, like many fishes, the timing of both the sperm- and egg-release is essential for successful fertilization to occur. In the hime salmon (landlocked red salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka) this is achieved by exchanging signals specific for this purpose between the sexes.In this study, we aimed at clarifying (1) what are the signals and their character which are exchanged between the sexes, (2) what are the sensory systems processing these signals, and (3) how the central nervous system processes these signals to elicit the spawning behavior.The results using both the behavioral and electrophysiological methods showed that the hime salmon exchange between the sexes both the vibrational signals arising from the body vibration and visual signals to elicit the spawning behavior. The vibrational signals are processed through the lateral line system to integrate them with those from the visual signals. Furthermore, it was found that field potentials are evoked from the medial nucleus of the medulla (the first relay station of the vibrational information) which are synchronized with the vibrational stimuli.