The Effect of Ambient Temperature on Intraspecific Interactions Controlling Heat Tolerance in the Oligochaetes Enchytraeus albidus and Tubifex tubifex

A signal (nonlethal) increase in ambient temperature (to 26 and 31°C for the oligochaetes Enchytraeus albidus and Tubifex tubifex, respectively) induces intraspecific interactions mediated by the release of pheromones into the medium. The pheromones cause physiological changes that persist after the cessation of either these interactions or pheromone action and are expressed as a considerable increase in the heat tolerance of individual E. albidus and T. tubifex.