Rapid Decline of Olfactory and Gustatory Receptor Sensitivities of Wild Catfish (Ictaluridae) after Capture

Abstract

In several species of catfish (Ictaluridae), comparably high sensitivities of olfactory and gustatory receptors to α-amino acids as a class were confirmed. An important determinant of the frequency of successful electrical recording preparations was found to be the duration of fish captivity. The functional deterioration of olfactory and gustatory receptors may be a stress reaction caused by capture and confinement of the wild fish.