David Gonçalves

William James Center for Research, ISPA – Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
Institute of Science and Environment, University of Saint Joseph, Macau

Research Interests: fish physiology; behavioral neuroendocrinology

ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6851-7215

ResearchGate: David Gonçalves

CienciaVitae: 331D-3437-C4CD

I am a biologist with interests in Animal Behaviour. In particular, I have been focused on the endocrine, physiological, genomic, and brain mechanisms underlying behaviour. I use fish as study models, as their vast behavioural diversity allows the investigation of almost any behaviour-related question, making them powerful models for uncovering general principles of behavioural regulation and its adaptive significance. My work integrates behavioural assays with molecular, physiological, and genomic techniques to dissect both the proximate and ultimate causes of behaviour.

Active Research Projects

TOLERANCE – Unravelling common environmental stress tolerance mechanisms in marine echinoderms and fish

2024-2027 | Funded by: FDCT - Macao Science and Technology Development Fund and NSFC - National Natural Science Foundation of China

Principal Investigators: David Gonçalves and Libin Zhang

BIOM - The role of the brain-gut microbiota interaction in the regulation of fish behaviour

2024-2027 | Funded by: FDCT - Macao Science and Technology Development Fund

Principal Investigator: David Gonçalves

SenSing - Acoustic communication in changing sensory environments: testing adaptive responses with the vocal fish model Danionella translucida

2021-2024 | Funded by: FDCT - Macao Science and Technology Development Fund

Principal Investigator: Raquel Vasconcelos | Team member: David Gonçalves

Selected Publications

Fusani L, Cardoso SD, Gonçalves D (2025). Vasotocin and oxytocin modulation of the endocrine and behavioral response to an aggressive challenge in male Siamese fighting fish. Hormones and Behavior. DOI | PDF
Ramos A, Goncalves D, Vasconcelos RO (2025). Exploring freshwater soundscapes of tropical marshland habitats in Southeast Asia: insights into auditory sensory adaptation of wild Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens. PeerJ. DOI | PDF
Cardoso SD, Jiang C, Sun L, Zhang L, Gonçalves D (2024). Chromosome-level genome assembly of the highly-polymorphic peacock blenny (Salaria pavo). Scientific Data. DOI | PDF
Lebel A, Zhang L, Goncalves D (2024). Chemical and visual cues as modulators of the stress response to social isolation in the marine medaka, Oryzias melastigma. Zebrafish. DOI | PDF
Alex D, Cardoso SD, Ramos A, Gonçalves D (2023). Behavioural and endocrine responses to non-interactive live and video conspecifics in males of the Siamese fighting fish. Current Zoology. DOI | PDF
Ramos A, Gonçalves D (2022). Selection for winners impacts the endocrine system in the Siamese fighting fish. General and Comparative Endocrinology. DOI | PDF