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# Retinotectal circuitry of larval zebrafish is adapted to detection and pursuit of prey

## Details

**Authors** Forster et al.

**Year** 2020

**Publisher** eLife

**Discipline** Biology

[Read it at the publisher](https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.58596) 
10.7554/eLife.58596

## In authors' words

### Abstract

Retinal axon projections form a map of the visual environment in the tectum. A zebrafish larva typically detects a prey object in its peripheral visual field. As it turns and swims towards the prey, the stimulus enters the central, binocular area, and seemingly expands in size. By volumetric calcium imaging, we show that posterior tectal neurons, which serve to detect prey at a distance, tend to respond to small objects and intrinsically compute their direction of movement. Neurons in anterior tectum, where the prey image is represented shortly before the capture strike, are tuned to larger object sizes and are frequently not direction-selective, indicating that mainly interocular comparisons serve to compute an object’s movement at close range. The tectal feature map originates from a linear combination of diverse, functionally specialized, lamina-specific, and topographically ordered retinal ganglion cell synaptic inputs. We conclude that local cell-type composition and connectivity across the tectum are adapted to the processing of location-dependent, behaviorally relevant object features.

### What they set out to do (purpose)

To map the Zebrafish's neuronal hunting pathway.

### What they found (results)

Through their analysis of the fish’s hunting behavior they determined that posterior tectal neurons (which are responsible for detecting prey at a distance) responded mostly to smaller objects. Of interest is that those neurons appear to quickly and automatically Distinguish which direction the prey is at.

## Commentary

### In short

This inherent Distinguishing ability allows the larval zebrafish to hunt effectively. This also further supports the evidence that the Distinction simple rule is inherently built into the organism's brains.

### In more detail

Forster et al. researched the neuronal pathways of hunting zebrafish. They used a technique called retinal axon projections to map out the neuronal perspective of the fish’s visual environment. Through their analysis of the fish’s hunting behavior they determined that posterior tectal neurons (which are responsible for detecting prey at a distance) responded mostly to smaller objects. Of interest is that those neurons appear to quickly and automatically Distinguish which direction the prey is at. This inherent Distinguishing ability allows the larval zebrafish to hunt effectively. This also further supports the evidence that the Distinction simple rule is inherently built into the organism's brains.

**Patterns it shows** D, S, R, P

**How to cite this** Forster et al. (2020). Retinotectal circuitry of larval zebrafish is adapted to detection and pursuit of prey. eLife.