DOI: 10.5061/dryad.12jm63z6w
title: Impacts on Atlantic killifish from neurotoxicants: Genes, behavior, and population relevant outcomes

description: We studied the effects of embyonic exposure of methylmercury and PCB126 on
 larval Atlantic killifish Fundulus heteroclitus behavior. Three
 types of behavior tests were conducted, a feeding assay, locomotion assay,
 and a visual motor response assay (VMR).  For each test, we
 conducted both controls and multiple sublethal levels of each chemical.
description: The data were collected as described in the manuscript.  The data
 presented have been QA/QC'd, all jitters were corrected and the data
 were used in the study statistical analyses. Each data set contains the
 treatment and fish identification information.
description: # Impacts on Atlantic killifish from neurotoxicants: Genes, behavior, and
 population relevant outcomes: Fundulus heteroclitus behavior data
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.12jm63z6w](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.12jm63z6w) ## Description of the data and file structure We used laboratory behavior assays from two populations of Atlantic killifish *Fundulus heteroclitus* (one reference site (Scorton Creek, SCOKF) and one PCB-contaminated site (New Bedford Harbor, NBHKF)) to determine impacts from embryonic exposures to environmentally relevant concentrations of neurotoxicants.  The three types of behavior assays were a feeding assay with brine shrimp, a swimming locomotion assay, and a visual motor response assay that used light as a visual startle. Methylmercury exposed SCOKF exhibited changes in feeding and swimming behaviors. PCB126 exposed SCOKF had lower physical activity levels. The NBHKF, known to be tolerant to PCBs, still had altered swimming behaviors. ### Files and variables #### File: loco\_data.txt **Description:**  ##### Variables * rowid: row identification * trt: treatment given to larva * fishid: larva identification number * Trial.time: time from start of trial in seconds * X.center: x coordinate in millimeters * Y.center: y coordinate in millimeters * batchid: identification number of petri dish that contained 10 larva #### File: vmr\_data.txt **Description:**  ##### Variables * rowid: row identification * trt: treatment given to larva * fishid: larva identification number * Trial.time: time from start of trial in seconds, not including the acclimation period * X.center: x coordinate in millimeters * Y.center: y coordinate in millimeters * batchid: identification number of petri dish that contained wells with one larva #### File: feed\_data.txt **Description:** Results from the feeding assays for fry that ate a brine shrimp during the trial. ##### Variables * row id: row number * frame bs were inserted and pipette was out of frame: video frame number when trial started. video record rate was 30 frames per second * last frame: video frame number when trial ended. video record rate was 30 frames per second. * count of bs: number of individual brine shrimp added to the petri dish * number of swimming bs at end of test: number of brine shrimp alive and swimming at the end of the trial * frame where fish orientates to bs: video frame number when the larva first orientates to a brine shrimp * reactive distance, mm: distance between larva's mouth and brine shrimp at the point where the fish first orientates to the brine shrimp * frame of lunge, frame where bs is put in mouth: video frame where fish lunges at the brine shrimp * successful capture y/n: indicates whether the larva was successful at brine shrimp capture, y for yes, n for no * last frame fish was eating prey. if coughed out, frame that the prey was coughed out. Last frame fish was handling prey: video frame where larva finishes eating brine shrimp and returns to swimming.  Or if larva coughed out the brine shrimp, video frame where larva coughed it out and began swimming * fish length mm: length of larva in millimeters * scale pixels/mm: scale used to calculate larva length * fishid: larva identification number * trt3: treatment given the larva ## Code/software notepad and R are free software can read tab delimited text files