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Cited by 184Fish biology, ecology, and behaviorIchthyology and Marine BiologyPlant and Biological Electrophysiology Studies

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 84 of the 90 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Prey-Capture Behavior in Gymnotid Electric Fish: Motion Analysis and Effects of water Conductivity

Maciver, Malcolm A., Sharabash, Noura M., Nelson, Mark E.·2001·Journal of Experimental Biology
DOI 10.1242/jeb.204.3.543
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Abstract

Animals can actively influence the content and quality of sensory information they acquire from the environment through the positioning of peripheral sensory surfaces. This study investigated receptor surface positioning during prey-capture behavior in weakly electric gymnotiform fish of the genus Apteronotus. Infrared video techniques and three-dimensional model-based tracking methods were used to provide quantitative information on body position and conformation as black ghost (A. albifrons) and brown ghost (A. leptorhynchus) knifefish hunted for prey (Daphnia magna) in the dark. We found that detection distance depends on the electrical conductivity of the surrounding water. Best performance was observed at low water conductivity (2.8 cm mean detection distance and 2 % miss rate at 35 microS cm(-)(1), A. albifrons) and poorest performance at high conductivity (1.5 cm mean detection distance and 11 % miss rate at 600 microS cm(-)(1), A. albifrons). The observed conductivity-dependence implies that nonvisual prey detection in Apteronotus is likely to be dominated by the electrosense over the range of water conductivities experienced by the animal in its natural environment. This result provides the first evidence for the involvement of electrosensory cues in the prey-capture behavior of gymnotids, but it leaves open the possibility that both the high-frequency (tuberous) and low-frequency (ampullary) electroreceptors may contribute. We describe an electrosensory orienting response to prey, whereby the fish rolls its body following detection to bring the prey above the dorsum. This orienting response and the spatial distribution of prey at the time of detection highlight the importance of the dorsal surface of the trunk for electrosensory signal acquisition. Finally, quantitative analysis of fish motion demonstrates that Apteronotus can adapt its trajectory to account for post-detection motion of the prey, suggesting that it uses a closed-loop adaptive tracking strategy, rather than an open-loop ballistic strike strategy, to intercept the prey.

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Crossref · 10.1242/jeb.204.3.543

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Citations

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Research works printed but not linked: 8

  1. Bastian, 1986, Electrolocation: behavior, anatomy and physiology, 577
  2. Crampton, 1998, Electric signal design and habitat preferences in a species rich assemblage of gymnotiform fishes from the Upper Amazon Basin, Ann. Acad. Bras. Ci., 70, 805
  3. Dunning, 1973, A quantitative and comparative analysis of the tonic electroreceptors of Gnathonemus, Gymnotus and Kryptopterus. PhD thesis, University of Minnesota
  4. Hagedorn, 1996, Species diversity of gymnotiform fishes in Manu Bioreserve, Pakitza, Perú, 483
  5. Hopkins, 1972, Patterns of electrical communication among gymnotid fish. PhD thesis, Rockefeller University
  6. Hopkins, 1997, A quantitative analysis of passive electrolocation behavior in electric fish
  7. Lissmann, 1961, Ecological studies on gymnotids, 215
  8. Zakon, 1986, The electroreceptive periphery, 103

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Metadata

Authors
Maciver, M. A., Sharabash, N. M., & Nelson, M. E.
Affiliations
  • 1 The Neuroscience Program
  • 2 Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Experimental Biology
Publisher
The Company of Biologists
Published
2001-02-01
Volume
204
Issue
3
Pages
543-557
ISSN
  • 0022-0949 (ISSN-L)
  • 1477-9145
DOI
10.1242/jeb.204.3.543
OpenAlex
W2103225200
Cited by
184
References
90
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 15
FWCI
6.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.biologists.com/user-licence-1-1/ (vor)
Locations
  • Journal of Experimental Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (R01-MH49242, R01MH049242)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ichthyology and Marine Biology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Plant and Biological Electrophysiology Studies
Keywords
Apteronotus, black ghost knifefish, prey capture, water conductivity, Daphnia magna, body motion tracking, adaptive tracking
MeSH terms
Animals, Behavior, Animal, Locomotion, Sensory Receptor Cells, Static Electricity

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