Forebrain Temperature Activates Behavioral Thermoregulatory Response in Arctic Sculpins

Abstract

Arctic sculpins of the genus Myoxocephalus adapted to water at 5 degrees C escaped from warm water at 20 degrees , 16 degrees , and 12 degrees C when their deep-body temperatures increased from an initial 5 degrees C to about 8 degrees C. Heating parts of the forebrain with water at 25 degrees C circulating through a pair of thermodes astraddle rostral parts of the forebrain shortened the time spent in the warm water and lessened the incease in deep-body temperature before exit from the warm water. Cooling the forebrain to about -1 degrees C caused a large increase in the body temperature and sometimes suppressed the escape from the warm water.