Sensory and Cognitive Ecology, Institute for Biosciences, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, 18059, Rostock, Germany.
Institute for Zoology, University of Bonn, Poppelsdorfer Schloß, 53115, Bonn, Germany.
J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2020 Jul;206(4):517-526. doi: 10.1007/s00359-020-01416-8. Epub 2020 Apr 18.
The Australian water rat, Hydromys chrysogaster, preys on a wide variety of aquatic and semiaquatic arthropods and vertebrates, including fish. A frequently observed predatory strategy of Hydromys is sitting in wait at the water's edge with parts of its vibrissae submersed. Here we show that Hydromys can detect water motions with its whiskers. Behavioural thresholds range from 1.0 to 9.4 mm s water velocity, based on maximal horizontal water velocity in the area covered by the whiskers. This high sensitivity to water motions would enable Hydromys to detect fishes passing by. No responses to surface waves generated by a vibrating rod and resembling the surface waves caused by struggling insects were found.
澳大利亚水鼠(Hydromys chrysogaster)以各种水生和半水生节肢动物和脊椎动物为食,包括鱼类。Hydromys 一种常见的捕食策略是坐在水边,将部分触须浸入水中,等待猎物靠近。在这里,我们发现 Hydromys 可以通过触须感知水的运动。行为阈值范围为 1.0 至 9.4mm/s 的水流速度,这是基于触须覆盖区域内的最大水平水流速度。这种对水的运动的高度敏感使 Hydromys 能够检测到经过的鱼类。研究没有发现对由振动杆产生的类似于挣扎昆虫引起的表面波的反应。