Prey Capture by Larval Zebrafish: Evidence for Fine Axial Motor Control

Borla, Melissa A.; Palecek, Betsy; Budick, Seth A.; O’Malley, Donald M.

doi:10.1159/000066699

Cited by 145 publications

(138 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…These criteria were based on our previous observations of prey capture episodes and visual orienting responses in control larvae and probably represent a conservative estimation of the fish's visual abilities. Analysis of prey encounters was according to Borla et al (2002). The larvae's head yaw (the angular displacement of the head during successive side-to-side bends of a swim bout) and the fish-to-paramecium distances were measured using automated image analysis procedures in ImageJ.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Among them are the M cell, as well as neurons in the nMLF, located ventrally to the tectum. The M cell has been shown by others to be dispensable for prey capture (Borla et al, 2002). The nMLF, in contrast, had not been tested previously.…”

Section: Melr and Melc Are Selectively Involved In Visual Prey Capturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here, we investigated the neural substrate of capture of prey, a complex visually evoked behavior characterized by a unique pattern of axial muscle movements (Budick and O'Malley, 2000;Borla et al, 2002). We discovered that the tectum, in conjunction with two identified pairs of RS neurons, MeLr and MeLc, are required for normal prey capture performance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Visual Prey Capture in Larval Zebrafish Is Controlled by Identified Reticulospinal Neurons Downstream of the Tectum

Gahtan¹,

Tanger²,

Baier³

2005

J. Neurosci.

310

335

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Many vertebrates are efficient hunters and recognize their prey by innate neural mechanisms. During prey capture, the internal representation of the prey's location must be constantly updated and made available to premotor neurons that convey the information to spinal motor circuits. We studied the neural substrate of this specialized visuomotor system using high-speed video recordings of larval zebrafish and laser ablations of candidate brain structures. Seven-day-old zebrafish oriented toward, chased, and consumed paramecia with high accuracy. Lesions of the retinotectal neuropil primarily abolished orienting movements toward the prey. Wild-type fish tested in darkness, as well as blind mutants, were impaired similarly to tectum-ablated animals, suggesting that prey capture is mainly visually mediated. To trace the pathway further, we examined the role of two pairs of identified reticulospinal neurons, MeLc and MeLr, located in the nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus of the tegmentum. These two neurons extend dendrites into the ipsilateral tectum and project axons into the spinal cord. Ablating MeLc and MeLr bilaterally impaired prey capture but spared several other behaviors. Ablating different sets of reticulospinal neurons did not impair prey capture, suggesting a selective function of MeLr and MeLc in this behavior. Ablating MeLc and MeLr neurons unilaterally in conjunction with the contralateral tectum also mostly abolished prey capture, but ablating them together with the ipsilateral tectum had a much smaller effect. These results suggest that MeLc and MeLr function in series with the tectum, as part of a circuit that coordinates prey capture movements.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Melr and Melc Are Selectively Involved In Visual Prey Capturementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Visual Prey Capture in Larval Zebrafish Is Controlled by Identified Reticulospinal Neurons Downstream of the Tectum

Gahtan¹,

Tanger²,

Baier³

2005

J. Neurosci.

310

335

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“…These swimming bouts can be grouped into a small number of distinct categories, which have been characterized in detail 8,9,26 . We analyzed the visually evoked responses at the level of single swim bouts.…”

Section: Motor Patterns Underlying the Optomotor Responsementioning

confidence: 99%

Control of visually guided behavior by distinct populations of spinal projection neurons

et al. 2008

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A basic question in the field of motor control is how different actions are represented by activity in spinal projection neurons. We used a new behavioral assay to identify visual stimuli that specifically drive basic motor patterns in zebrafish. These stimuli evoked consistent patterns of neural activity in the neurons projecting to the spinal cord, which we could map throughout the entire population using in vivo two-photon calcium imaging. We found that stimuli that drive distinct behaviors activated distinct subsets of projection neurons, consisting, in some cases, of just a few cells. This stands in contrast to the distributed activation seen for more complex behaviors. Furthermore, targeted cell by cell ablations of the neurons associated with evoked turns abolished the corresponding behavioral response. This description of the functional organization of the zebrafish motor system provides a framework for identifying the complete circuit underlying a vertebrate behavior.In a behaving animal, the brain communicates its intentions to muscles via the pattern of activity in descending projection neurons 1 . In vertebrates, these cells respond to the detection and processing of sensory stimuli and transmit their motor command to the local networks of the spinal cord, which in turn initiate and coordinate muscle contraction 2 . A fundamental question in neuroscience is how the commands that initiate behaviors are encoded in the activation of these projection neurons 3-5 .The spinal projection system of fish provides an excellent model for studying this code 6 . A diverse range of swimming behaviors can be seen in 6-d-old zebrafish 7-9 that are mediated by a descending projection to the spinal cord consisting of fewer than 300 neurons 10,11 . These neurons are easily labeled with fluorescent indicators 12 , optically accessible with modern imaging techniques and arranged in a stereotyped pattern such that the same cells or groups of cells can easily be identified from one fish to the next 13 . These neurons are morphologically diverse, with distinct dendritic fields and axonal projection patterns 13,14 , suggesting that they serve different behavioral functions. Nevertheless, determining how differing patterns of activity in these spinal projection neurons produce different motor outputs has proved to be difficult. 23,24 , the actual command is encoded in distributed activity throughout the population of control neurons 2 .The swimming behaviors of zebrafish, including the complex sequence of turns and swims that make up the escape response, can be broken down into basic kinematic elements 8 . It is possible that the motor commands for these basic behaviors originate from distinct populations of neurons, which when combined would appear as a `distributed command'. We found that whole-field visual motion, with the direction dynamically locked to the fish's body axis, is able to selectively evoke some of these basic swim patterns. Calcium imaging of stimulus-evoked responses in the complete population of n...

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“…However, growth of perch larvae fed with Paramecium caudatum was moderate in comparison to zooplankton, indicating a decreased nutritional value. Paramecium caudatum has been used successfully for first feeding of different species of ornamental fish larvae with a mouth size too small to ingest crustacean species (Copepoda, Anostraca, Cladocera) (Borla, Palecek, Budick, & O'Malley, 2002;Andrews, 2011) and for experimental fish (e.g. Danio rerio -Detrich, Zon, & Westerfield, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A method for Rearing Perch, Perca fluviatilis, Larvae Using Paramecium caudatum, Followed by Wild Zooplankton and Formulated Dry Feed in Combination With Adequate Tank Systems

Lahnsteiner¹,

Kletzl²

2018

JAS

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The present study investigates methods for larviculture and fingerling production in the European perch, Perca fluviatilis. Perch larvae in the stage of first feeding were sensitive to many manipulations necessary in fish culture. Lowering and increasing the tank water level as required for cleaning and water renewal, water flow and aeration led to disturbed buoyancy or mortality in a distinct percentage of larvae. Paramecium caudatum, wild zooplankton containing > 70% copeopds, and formulated dry feed were used for first feeding in combination with flow through tanks or static tanks. For first feeding Paramecium caudatum in combination with a static tank system was optimal resulting in survival rates of circa 90% at 15 days post hatch (dph). Wild zooplankton was no optimal starter feed as perch fed non-selectively on any feed particle available. This resulted in moderate survival rates of circa 50% at 15 dph. First feeding with formulated dry feed caused malformations (enlargement of swimbladders) and a high mortality of > 80%. Weaning from Paramecium caudatum to formulated dry feed and to zooplankton was tested on 8-16 dph larvae. Perch accepted the new food type within 3 days. The optimal time point for zooplankton weaning was 12 dph. In this age larvae had developed a selective feeding behaviour, and fed mainly on nauplii and copepodites. Weaning to formulated dry feed was impossible as larvae developed malformations resulting in high mortality as described above. Weaning from wild zooplankton to formulated dry feed was possible for larvae ≥ 29 dph. No cannibalism was observed in the experiments. The method was also tested in large scale experiments resulting in a survival rate of 65±4%, a total length of 45.0±7.2 mm, and a body weight of 1097±293 mg at 75 dph.

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Prey Capture by Larval Zebrafish: Evidence for Fine Axial Motor Control

Cited by 145 publications

References 73 publications

Visual Prey Capture in Larval Zebrafish Is Controlled by Identified Reticulospinal Neurons Downstream of the Tectum

Visual Prey Capture in Larval Zebrafish Is Controlled by Identified Reticulospinal Neurons Downstream of the Tectum

Control of visually guided behavior by distinct populations of spinal projection neurons

A method for Rearing Perch, Perca fluviatilis, Larvae Using Paramecium caudatum, Followed by Wild Zooplankton and Formulated Dry Feed in Combination With Adequate Tank Systems

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