3-Dimensional Scene Perception during Active Electrolocation in a Weakly Electric Pulse Fish.

Weakly electric fish use active electrolocation for object detection and orientation in their environment even in complete darkness. The African mormyrid Gnathonemus petersii can detect object parameters, such as material, size, shape, and distance. Here, we tested whether individuals of this species can learn to identify 3-dimensional objects independently of the training conditions and independently of the object's position in space (rotation-invariance; size-constancy).

Active electrolocation in Gnathonemus petersii: behaviour, sensory performance, and receptor systems.

Weakly electric fish can serve as model systems for active sensing because they actively emit electric signals into the environment, which they also perceive with more than 2000 electroreceptor organs (mormyromasts) distributed over almost their entire skin surface. In a process called active electrolocation, animals are able to detect and analyse objects in their environment, which allows them to perceive a detailed electrical picture of their surroundings even in complete darkness. The African mormyrid fish Gnathonemus petersii can not only detect nearby objects, but in addition can perceive other properties such as their distance, their complex electrical impedance, and their three-dimensional shape.

Distance, shape and more: recognition of object features during active electrolocation in a weakly electric fish.

In the absence of light, the weakly electric fish Gnathonemus petersii detects and distinguishes objects in the environment through active electrolocation. In order to test which features of an object the fish use under these conditions to discriminate between differently shaped objects, we trained eight individuals in a food-rewarded, two-alternative, forced-choice procedure. All fish learned to discriminate between two objects of different shapes and volumes.