The Study On Crayfish (Procambarus Clarkii) In Mirror Reflective Environment

The study carried out a preliminary research of the behavioral response, the outcome of winner-effect and loser-effect,the influence of food intake,the different response of male and female Procambarus clarkii in the mirror reflective environment.Experiment 1:There are some researches about animal behavior in front of the mirror and the regulative effect of animal behavior on the mirror side have been reported. As a model animal for behavioural studies, the researches on theinteraction about the crayfish(Procambarus clarkii) and the mirror are few, there are only a little literature reported that the behavior of the dominant and subordinate crayfish living in the same field provided by mirror environment are significantly different. But there are not any experimental researches on the the behavior caused by specular reflection and mirror environment regulation effect of different status of crayfish which are divided in their respective fields. The present study separate every pair of crayfish that on the basis of the previous work these crayfishes which have already established the social hierarchy, set up mirror environment, observe 30 min behavioral responses of the dominant and subordinate crayfish, analysis and test the data. The results show that the behaviors of dominant and subordinate crayfish which are separated in front of the mirror areas are completely different with the previous report results. Finally, this study compared the change of the dominance index of the dominant and subordinate crayfish which have respectively lived on the mirror environment for 120h, discuss whether the mirror environment regulate their behavior. The result shows that the mirror has an effect to lower the winner effect of the dominant and the failure effect of the subordinate, meaning that narrow the gap of strength.Experiment 2: In order to study the mirror-image as a passive intruder within a short time of Procambarus clarkii winner effect and loser effect influence, this experiment selected 60 pairs crayfish separating for the mirror group and the opaque group recorded separately 1H video and be divided into three stages: before 20min, intermediate 20min, After 20 minutes, the intermediate 20 min in the experimental group joined mirror three prism, the control group added to the back of the mirror the second stage end take the mirror and the back side of the mirror. Observe the video recording behavior parameters, calculate the DI value. Statistical analysis group in three stages as well as the behavioral parameters difference between groups. The test results showed that the mirror as a passive intruder had no significant effect on winner effect, but can significantly weaken the loser effect within a short time.Experiment 3:In order to study the influence of mirror reflective environment on crayfish(Procambarus clarkii), the test set up two groups:mirror (Virtual Society), back of the mirror (isolated), feeding state set up satiation and hunger two feeding mode. Observe and record the two models of the two groups of experiments to deal with the first hour of food intake and the total intake of four hours. Statistical analysis showed that: in hunger and satiety two feeding mode, mirror set of initial feeding feeding and four hour feeding amount were significantly lower than those in the back of mirror group (P value less than 0.05). The results show that the mirror reflective environment of virtual community exists social inhibitory effects in the feeding of crayfish, even in starvation feeding pattern, mirror reflective environment form the social pressure is greater than the effect of simple competition for food. There also exists social inhibitory effects in the feeding of crayfish. Crayfish individuals with the mirror image formation of virtual society is same to the real social environment unstable social environment defined by Tero Ahvenharju.Experiment 4:In order to study the behavior response difference between male and female crayfish in the mirror reflective environment, we observed the all behaviors of a pair of male and female crayfish that both in one aquarium in which half of the walls were reflective mirrors and the other half were nonreflective plastic for 30 minutes. Then we compared and analyzed from different standpoints. The study indicated that there are differences in the behavior in the reflection environment between male and female crayfish. Compared with female crayfish, most of the observed behaviors of male individuals are more frequently. In the mean time, both male and female crayfish have more action or look behaviors in front of mirror wall or in the mirror corner than the nonreflective ones and the time of duration is also longer. It confirms that crayfish are surely sensitive to reflection environment.