Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Eye movements in the African cichlid fish,Haplochromis burtoni

  • Published:
Journal of Comparative Physiology A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

  1. 1.

    There are three distinct kinds of coordinated eye-body movements in the African cichlid fish,Haplochromis burtoni, as revealed by cinematographic analysis: a) eye movements without coordinated body movements (voluntary saccades); b) nystagmus consisting of compensatory eye movements during turning of the body and a reset saccade movement of the eyes; c) fast body turns executed without corresponding eye movements.

  2. 2.

    During voluntary scanning eye movements the eyes usually move in temporal synchrony and often the result is a decreased angle between the eyes (increased convergence of the eyes).

  3. 3.

    Compensatory eye movements produce successive fixation of the gaze direction during a slow rotation of the body which serve to maintain the angular orientation of the eyes in space. No systematic change in convergence is associated with these turns.

  4. 4.

    Fast body turns are very rapid body turns without compensatory eye movements which occur almost exclusively during social interactions.

  5. 5.

    When the animals are freely swimming, these three types of eye-body movements occur in all possible sequences.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

BO :

body

CF :

compensation factor

LE :

left eye

RE :

right eye

References

  • Cohen B (1974) The vestibulo-ocular reflex arc. In: Kornhuber HH (ed) Vestibular system, Part 1, Basic mechanisms (Handbook of sensory physiology, vol VI/1. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 477–540)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dodge R (1903) Five types of eye movements in the horizontal meridian plane of the field of regard. Am J Physiol 8:307

    Google Scholar 

  • Easter SS Jr (1971) Spontaneous eye movements in restrained goldfish. Vision Res 11:333–342

    Google Scholar 

  • Easter SS Jr, Johns PR, Heckenlively D (1974) Horizontal compensatory eye movements in goldfish (Carassius auratus). I. The normal animal. J Comp Physiol 92:23–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Easter SS Jr, Johns PR, Baumann LR (1977) Growth of the goldfish eye. I. Optics. Vision Res 17:469–477

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernald RD (1975) Fast body turns in a cichlid fish. Nature 258:228–229

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernald RD (1977) Quantitative behavioral observations ofHaplochromis burtoni under semi-natural conditions. Anim Behav 25:643–653

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernald RD (1982) Retinal projections in the African cichlid fish,Haplochromis burtoni. J Comp Neurol 206:379–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernald RD (1983) Neural basis of visual pattern recognition in fish. In: Ewert RP, Capranica RR, Ingle DJ (eds) Advances in vertebrate neuroethology. Plenum, New York London, pp 569–580

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernald RD (1984) Vision and behavior in an African cichlid fish. Am Sci 72:58–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernald RD, Hirata NR (1977a) Field study ofHaplochromis burtoni: Quantitative behavioral observations. Anim Behav 25:964–975

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernald RD, Hirata NR (1977b) Field study ofHaplochromis burtoni: Habitats and co-habitants. Environmental Biol 2:299–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernald RD, Wright SE (1983) Maintenance of optical quality during crystalline lens growth. Nature 301:618–620

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernald RD, Wright SE (1984a) Growth of the visual system in the African cichlid fish,Haplochromis burtoni: Optics. Vision Res (In press)

  • Fernald RD, Wright SE (1984b) Growth of the visual system in the African cichlid fishHaplochromis burtoni: Accommodation. Vision Res (In press)

  • Hirata NR, Fernald RD (1975) Non-intentional sound production in the African cichlid fish,Haplochromis burtoni. Experientia 31:299–301

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoist E von (1950a) Die Arbeitsweise des Statolithenapparates bei Fischen. Z Vergl Physiol 32:60–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Holst E von (1950b) Quantitative Messung von Stimmungen im Verhalten der Fische. Symp Soc Exp Biol 4:143–172

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunter J (1786) The use of the oblique muscles. In: Observations on certain parts of the animal oeconomy. London, pp 209–212

  • Trevarthen C (1968) Vision in fish: The origins of the visual frame for action in vertebrates. In: The central nervous system and fish behavior. Ingle D (ed) University of Chicago, Chicago, pp 61–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Walls GL (1967) The vertebrate eye and its adaptive radiation. Hafner, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Walls GL (1962) The evolutionary history of eye movements. Vision Res 2:69–80

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 97403, Eugene, Oregon, USA

    Russell D. Fernald

Authors
  1. Russell D. Fernald
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fernald, R.D. Eye movements in the African cichlid fish,Haplochromis burtoni . J. Comp. Physiol. 156, 199–208 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00610862

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00610862

Keywords

Search

Navigation