Exogenous control of diel locomotor activity in the whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis: effects of light and temperature

Data on factors determining activity cycles of nearctic fishes are scarce overall, and nonexistent for Coregoniae (family Salmonidae), a group with closely related and somewhat better known palaearctic species. We studied effects of photoperiodicity, light intensity and temperature on diel locomotor activity of lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis (Mitchill). Under LD 12:12, a day-active pattern was evident. Under continuous light (LL) and continuous dark (DD), rhythmicity was greatly suppressed or absent, respectively. Day-time activity levels were positively correlated with illuminance over the range tested (0.005 to 500 lux). At the three temperatures tested, activity was lowest at 7° C, highest at 12° C (a reported temperature optimum), and intermediate at 17° C. Our results suggest that level and diel pattern of lake whitefish activity are under overriding external control, and we find similarities with published data on the European species Coregonus lavaretus.