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Original Articles

AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR IN UEGITGLANIS ZAMMARANOI GIANFERRARI (CLARIIDAE SILURIFORMES), ANOPHTHALMIC PHREATIC FISH FROM SOMALIA

PUBBLICAZIONI DEL CENTRO DI STUDIO PER LA FAUNISTICA ED ECOLOGIA TROPICALI DEL C.N.R.: CXCII

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Pages 39-56 | Received 24 Sep 1980, Published online: 12 Jul 2013
 

SUMMARY

Specimens of Uegitglanis zammaranoi Gianferrari (Clariidae Siluriformes) raised in isolation and tested in pairs exhibit distinct aggressive behaviour. A dominant-subordinate relationship becomes immediately apparent and remains virtually unchanged in successive tests in different aquaria. The immediate effect of dominance seems to be possession of the bottom by the dominant fish which banishes the subordinate to the upper levels of the aquarium. These fish possess a highly articulate and varied repertoire of successive acts, analogous to those shown by the epigeous siluriform Ictalurus. Some of the aggressive behaviour patterns observed in the laboratory have also been observed in one of the wells from which our specimens were collected.

RIASSUNTO

Esemplari di Uegitglanis zammaranoi Gianferrari (Clariidae Siluriformes), allevati per lungo tempo in isolamento e quindi saggiati a coppie, mostrano un comportamento decisamente aggressivo. Immediatamente emerge un rapporto di dominanza/subordinazione, che permane sostanzialmente inalterato anche in successivi saggi effettuati in differenti situazioni sperimentali.

Effetto immediato della dominanza sembra essere il possesso esclusivo del fondo da parte del dominante che ne esclude il subordinato relegandolo negli strati superiori dell'acquario.

Il comportamento aggressivo si manifesta con un repertorio comportamentale quanto mai ricco e complesso, del tutto analogo a quello posseduto dai Siluriformi epigei del genere Ictalurus. Alcuni dei comportamenti aggressivi mostrati in laboratorio sono stati osservati sul campo, nei pozzi dove gli esemplari erano stati raccolti.

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