Early asymmetries in the behaviour of zebrafish larvae

Watkins, Jenny; Miklósi, Ádám; Andrew, R.J.

doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2003.08.012

Cited by 39 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Although previous studies have indicated that adult and larval zebrafish as well as many other teleost species exhibit a left eye bias upon self-viewing (Sovrano et al 1999De Santi et al 2001;Watkins et al 2004), we recorded no baseline difference in eye preference in the doubly transgenic larvae used in this study. Analyses of L pp and R pp larvae from the fsi strain indicated that they exhibited opposite eye preference upon mirror viewing and an inverse shift in eye preference occurred over time in both groups (Barth et al 2005).…”

Section: K2contrasting

confidence: 75%

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Determining the function of zebrafish epithalamic asymmetry

Facchin

Burgess

Siddiqi

et al. 2008

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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As in many fishes, amphibians and reptiles, the epithalamus of the zebrafish, Danio rerio, develops with pronounced left-right (L-R) asymmetry. For example, in more than 95 per cent of zebrafish larvae, the parapineal, an accessory to the pineal organ, forms on the left side of the brain and the adjacent left habenular nucleus is larger than the right. Disruption of Nodal signalling affects this bias, producing equal numbers of larvae with the parapineal on the left or the right side and corresponding habenular reversals. Pre-selection of live larvae using fluorescent transgenic reporters provides a useful substrate for studying the effects of neuroanatomical asymmetry on behaviour. Previous studies had suggested that epithalamic directionality is correlated with lateralized behaviours such as L-R eye preference. We find that the randomization of epithalamic asymmetry, through perturbation of the nodal-related gene southpaw, does not alter a variety of motor behaviours, including responses to lateralized stimuli. However, we discovered significant deficits in swimming initiation and in the total distance navigated by larvae with parapineal reversals. We discuss these findings with respect to previous studies and recent work linking the habenular region with control of the motivation/reward pathway of the vertebrate brain.

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Section: K2contrasting

confidence: 75%

“…Functional lateralization in this species has been previously documented for a number of behavioural tests both in adults (Miklósi et al 1997(Miklósi et al , 2001Heuts 1999;Mikló si & Andrew 1999) and in young fry (Watkins et al 2004;Barth et al 2005;Sovrano & Andrew 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Determining the function of zebrafish epithalamic asymmetry

Facchin

Burgess

Siddiqi

et al. 2008

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…These repetitive, J-shaped bends are unlike any turning or swimming behavior previously reported for zebrafi sh larvae [Kimmel et al, 1974;Fuiman and Webb, 1988;Budick and O'Malley, 2000;, Schneider et al, 2003Müller and van Leeuwen, 2004;Watkins et al, 2004;Larson et al, 2004;Thorsen et al 2004;O'Malley et al, 2004] or other larval fi shes [see e.g., Blaxter, 1968;Munk and Kiorboe, 1985;Drost, 1987;Batty et al, 1990;Coughlin et al, 1992]. Because J-turns consist of multiple, unilateral J-bends ( fi g. 3 ), they must be driven by a highly asymmetric control signal that is distinct from the more symmetrical neural activity underlying forward swimming [Stein et al, 1997;Kiehn et al, 1998;Grillner and Wallen, 2002;Grillner, 2003].…”

Section: Function Of J-turnsmentioning

confidence: 64%

Prey Tracking by Larval Zebrafish: Axial Kinematics and Visual Control

McElligott¹,

O’Malley²

2005

Brain Behav Evol

142

152

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High-speed imaging was used to record the prey-tracking behavior of larval zebrafish as they fed upon paramecium. Prey tracking is comprised of a variable set of discrete locomotor movements that together align the larva with the paramecium and bring it into close proximity, usually within one body length. These tracking behaviors are followed by a brief capture swim bout that was previously described [Borla et al., 2002]. Tracking movements were classified as either swimming or turning bouts. The swimming bouts were similar to a previously characterized larval slow swim [Budick and O’Malley, 2000], but the turning movements consisted of unique J-shaped bends which appear to minimize forward hydrodynamic disturbance when approaching the paramecium. Such J-turn tracking bouts consisted of multiple unilateral contractions to one side of the body. J-turns slowly and moderately alter the orientation of the larva – this is in contrast to previously described escape and routine turns. Tracking behaviors appear to be entirely visually guided. Infra-red (IR) imaging of locomotor behaviors in a dark environment revealed a complete absence of tracking behaviors, even though the normal repertoire of other locomotive behaviors was recorded. Concomitantly, such larvae were greatly impaired in consuming paramecia. The tracking behavior is of interest because it indicates the presence of sophisticated locomotor control circuitry in this relatively simple model organism. Such locomotor strategies may be conserved and elaborated upon by other larval and adult fishes.

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“…The behavioural preference of an individual favouring its left or right side when engaging in a task has been documented in mammals, birds, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and arthropods (Green 1997;Hopkins et al 1997;Bisazza et al 1998;Ades & Ramires 2002;Watkins et al 2003;Rutledge & Hunt 2004). Laterality is thought to be predominantly a result of cerebral functional asymmetry, and is a fundamental feature of both vertebrates and invertebrates (Bisazza et al 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As other functions positioned in the brain's left and right sides interact with movement co-ordination, laterality probably co-evolved with other functions of the brain (Bisazza et al 1998). Thus, behaviours that express laterality are diverse and include: (1) the preference of using one eye over another when searching for predators, competitors or food (Robins et al 1998;Franklin III & Lima 2001;Ventolini et al 2005); (2) the preference of rotating the body one way over another hearing a sound stimulus (Csermely 2004), when escaping predators (Watkins et al 2003;Bisazza et al 2004), and during sexual behaviours (Green 1997;Petersen et al 2001); and (3) tool handling (Rutledge & Hunt 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Topography affects foot trembling side preference in the North Island robin(Petroica longipes)

Berggren

2006

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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Behavioural laterality, where an individual shows a preference for using its left or right side when engaging in a task, has been documented in a wide range of species. Typically, such preferences have been correlated with neurological biases associated with brain structure, genetics, sex, and age. In birds, behavioural laterality (and footedness) is most commonly expressed in the searching and handling of food. I examined foot preferences during foraging in the North Island robin (Petroica longipes), a species which rapidly vibrates one of its legs when searching for food on the forest floor. Topography of the study site had a significant effect on the laterality of the individual, with the uppermost leg almost exclusively used for the trembling behaviour. With this exception, there was no bias in which leg was used across the population or within the individual for different sexes or age classes. As study sites and their features are seldom described in laterality studies, the results of my study show that topographical features may be important factors in determining side preferences and need

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Early asymmetries in the behaviour of zebrafish larvae

Cited by 39 publications

References 19 publications

Determining the function of zebrafish epithalamic asymmetry

Determining the function of zebrafish epithalamic asymmetry

Prey Tracking by Larval Zebrafish: Axial Kinematics and Visual Control

Topography affects foot trembling side preference in the North Island robin(Petroica longipes)

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