Acquired predator recognition via epidermal alarm cues but not dietary alarm cues by isolated pupfish

We tested whether Shoshone pupfish Cyprinodon nevadensis shoshone and Amargosa River pupfish C. n. amargosae respond behaviourally to conspecific chemical alarm cues released when epidermal tissue is damaged by a predator. We found that both subspecies reduced activity and vertical position in the water column in response to alarm cues. We then tested if pupfish can use alarm cues to acquire recognition of a novel predator. We trained pupfish with (1) water + odour of largemouth bass fed a diet of earthworms, (2) alarm cues from skin extract (epidermal alarm cues) + odour of bass fed a diet of earthworms, or (3) water + odour of bass fed a diet of pupfish (dietary alarm cues). Pupfish responded to epidermal alarm cues but not to dietary alarm cues. Pupfish were retested with the odour of bass that were fed an earthworm diet. Pupfish that had previously received epidermal alarm cues reduced vertical position and activity relative to the other two treatments. This is the first demonstrati..., Behavioral observation of fish in lab aquaria.
Statistical treatments are described in the manuscript., Microsoft Excel., # Acquired predator recognition via epidermal alarm cues but not dietary alarm cues by isolated pupfish

## Description of the data and file structure

There are two data files. The first file WIsenden et bal pupfish alarm reactions contains data from the first experiment testing alarm reactions by Amargosa and Shoshone pupfish to conspecific alarm cues derived from skin extract.
Column headings are:

* Subspecies = which subspecies was being tested, either Shoshone pupfish *Cyprinodon nevadensis shoshone*, of Amargosa River pupfish, *C.n. amargosae*
* Am1Sh2 = the treatment code used by the stats package to identify which subspecies was tested
* Treatment = which chemical cue was added to the tank, which was either consubspecific alarm cue derived from skin extract, or water (control)
* Specific treatment = the treatment in text rather than number code
* Pre_Activity = The number of grid lines crossed in the 5-min pre-stimulus observation period
* Post_Activity = The number of grid lin...