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Non-visual environmental imaging and object detection through active electrolocation in weakly electric fish

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Abstract

Weakly electric fish orient at night by employing active electrolocation. South American and African species emit electric signals and perceive the consequences of these emissions with epidermal electroreceptors. Objects are detected by analyzing the electric images which they project onto the animal’s electroreceptive skin surface. Electric images depend on size, distance, shape, and material of objects and on the morphology of the electric organ and the fish’s body. It is proposed that the mormyrid Gnathonemus petersii possesses two electroreceptive “foveae” at its Schnauzenorgan and its nasal region, both of which resemble the visual fovea in the retina of many animals in design, function, and behavioral use. Behavioral experiments have shown that G. petersii can determine the resistive and capacitive components of an object’s complex impedance in order to identify prey items during foraging. In addition, fish can measure the distance and three-dimensional shape of objects. In order to determine object properties during active electrolocation, the fish have to determine at least four parameters of the local signal within an object’s electric image: peak amplitude, maximal slope, image width, and waveform distortions. A crucial parameter is the object distance, which is essential for unambiguous evaluation of object properties.

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Abbreviations

ELL:

Electrosensory lateral line lobe

EO:

Electric organ

EOCD:

Electric organ corollary discharge

EOD:

Electric organ discharge

S+:

Positive stimulus

S−:

Negative stimulus

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Acknowledgements

The work of the author was funded by several grants of the German Research Foundation (DFG) (Em43/1-1–Em43/11-1). I thank S. Fetz, M. Hollmann, and A. Padberg for sharing their unpublished behavioral and anatomical results. All experiments conducted in this study comply with the “Principles of animal care”, publication No. 86-23, revised 1985, of the National Institute of Health, and with the current laws of Germany and the USA.

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  1. Neuroethologie/Sensorische Ökologie, Institut für Zoologie, Universität Bonn, Endenicher Allee 11-13, 53115, Bonn, Germany

    G. von der Emde

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von der Emde, G. Non-visual environmental imaging and object detection through active electrolocation in weakly electric fish . J Comp Physiol A 192, 601–612 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-006-0096-7

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