Journal Article
Behavioral tracking and neuromast imaging of Mexican cavefish.
Worsham, M., Fernandes, V.F.L., Settle, A., Balaan, C., Lactaoen, K., Tuttle, L.J., Iwashita, M. and Yoshizawa, M.
Record Number:
4345
Year:
2019
Journal:
Journal of Visualized Experiments
Pages:
1-10
Volume:
146 e59099
PMCID:
Abstract:
Cave-dwelling animals have evolved a series of morphological and behavioral traits to adapt to their perpetually dark and food-sparse environments. Among these traits, foraging behavior is one of the useful windows into functional advantages of behavioral trait evolution. Presented herein are updated methods for analyzing vibration attraction behavior (VAB: an adaptive foraging behavior) and imaging of associated mechanosensors of cave-adapted tetra, Astyanax mexicanus. In addition, methods are presented for high-throughput tracking of a series of additional cavefish behaviors including hyperactivity and sleep-loss. Cavefish also show asociality, repetitive behavior and higher anxiety. Therefore, cavefish serve as an animal model for evolved behaviors. These methods use free-software and custom-made scripts that can be applied to other types of behavior. These methods provide practical and cost-effective alternatives to commercially available tracking software.
Times Cited:
1
Relevent Species: