Timing and plasticity of shoaling behaviour in the zebrafish, Danio rerio

Abstract

The zebrafish has become a major model system for biomedical research and is an emerging model for the study of behaviour. While adult zebrafish express a visually mediated shoaling preference, the onset of shoaling behaviour and of this preference is unknown. To assess the onset of these behaviours, we first manipulated the early social environment of larval zebrafish subjects, giving them three model shoaling partners of the same pigment phenotype. We then assayed the subjects' preferences using binary preference tests in which we presented subjects with two shoals, one shoal of fish exhibiting the same pigment pattern phenotype as their models and another shoal with a radically different pigment pattern. To determine whether or not the visually mediated preference could be altered once it was established, we further manipulated the social environment of a number of subjects, rearing them with one model shoal and testing them, then changing their social consorts and retesting them. Our results demonstrate that larval zebrafish shoal early in their development, but do not exhibit a shoaling preference until they are juveniles. Moreover, we find that the shoaling preference is stable, as changing the social environment of fish after they had acquired a preference did not change their preference. These data will facilitate investigations into the mechanisms underlying social behaviour in this vertebrate model system.

Embryonic requirements for ErbB signaling in neural crest development and adult pigment pattern formation

“…An interesting system for studying the salient genetic and cellular mechanisms is the larva-to-adult transformation, or metamorphosis, of amphibians and fishes (Moran, 1994;Parichy, 1998;Webb, 1999;Brown and Cai, 2007). In zebrafish, Danio rerio, metamorphosis includes dramatic changes in the digestive, excretory and sensory systems; the peripheral nervous system; the skeleton, fins and integument; as well as physiology and behavior (Cubbage and Mabee, 1996;Brown, 1997;Elizondo et al, 2005;Tingaud-Sequeira et al, 2006;Engeszer et al, 2007).…”

Sex-specific perceptual spaces for a vertebrate basal social aggregative behavior

“…These fish shoal as mixed sex groups in the field and in the laboratory (11)(12)(13)(14) and their tendency to shoal is heritable (15,16). Zebrafish respond to visual signals when deciding between prospective shoals, and early life history plays a critical role in the formation of shoaling preferences (13,14,17,18). Nevertheless, the salient features of these visual signals and how they are interpreted remains unknown.…”

Effective Sensory Modality Activating an Escape Triggering Neuron Switches during Early Development in Zebrafish

“…Given that the M-cell is the earliest descending neuron to develop (Mendelson, 1986a,b) and receives the trigeminal afferent fiber contact as the first sensory input (Kimmel et al, 1990) in embryo, activating the M-cell with early-developing tactile input allows larvae to acquire escape behavior at the earliest possible developmental stage. However, tactile-evoked M-escape becomes less useful as fish develop: after acquisition of AV-induced M-escape, larvae swim actively in schools (Engeszer et al, 2007). If tactile-evoked M-escape occurs in response to collisions with other fish, this may lead the fish to miss its prey during competing for food or to jump out of its school, resulting in a high risk of predation (Stankowich, 2003).…”