C-10-7

KIN DISCRIMINATION IN JUVENILE ARCTIC CHARR, SALVELINUSALPINUS (L.)
INFLUENCED BY MHC.

K.Håkan Olsén, Mats Grahn, Jakob Lohm & Åsa Langefors
Department of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen18A, S-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden.


Juvenile Arctic charr are able discriminate between odors from siblingsand non-siblings from the same population even if the odor donors and thetest fish have been reared separately since fertilization.This indicatesthat some genetic factor is important in the recognition process. The mechanismsbehind kin recognition and discrimination have not yet been described.Behavior data from fluviarium tests will be presented that give supportfor that the odors used for kin recognition and discrimination in juvenileArctic charr are influenced by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)which is genes responsible for production of transplantation antigens.