Although all fishes have a mechanosensory lateral line system — a system of water flow detectors (neuromasts) in canals or free on the skin’s surface — particular behavioral functions are documented for only a few species. Work on lateral line use for feeding has focused on either cavefishes or night-active species (Montgomery, 1989). While surface-feeding fishes with well-developed eyes do use the lateral line to locate prey (Müller and Schwartz, 1982), it is generally assumed that diurnal/crepuscular fishes are visual predators. We show that a hydromechanical stimulus detected by the cephalic lateral line system in two sunfishes (Centrarchidae) can be the sole determinant of a strike trajectory. The response occurs without reinforcement and appears to be an unconditioned response.
So long Andy and welcome Monica
We say a fond farewell to Andy Biewener who, after 20 years and steering hundreds of manuscripts through peer review, will be stepping down from his role as JEB Editor. We are delighted to welcome Monica Daley to the team in his place.
Supporting early-career researchers
As a journal published by The Company of Biologists, we champion early-career researchers. Find out more about the practical solutions available to help this vital community navigate the first stages of their careers.
Neuroethology of number sense across the animal kingdom
Andreas Nieder considers the fundamentally different types of brains of diverse and distantly related animal species that give rise to number skills across the animal kingdom.
Hiking trails ideal for sauntering grizzlies
New measurements reveal that grizzly bears use similar amounts of energy as humans when walking and prefer to take routes with a gradient of less than 10%, which explains why they sometimes turn up on human hiking trails that are shallow for our use and are also ideal for grizzlies.
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