The zebrafish has emerged as a premier organism for biomedical research, but its advantages remain underutilized for studies of evolution, ecology, and behavior. Our lab is using zebrafish as a model for studying social interactions, focusing on roles for the pigment pattern in mediating shoaling behavior and mating success. To better understand the ecological and evolutionary context for such interactions, we are also working to describe basic features of zebrafish natural history, which has remained largely unexplored.

Zebrafish and many other species form loose aggregations of individuals called "shoals". We are interested in how zebrafish choose their shoalmates and how pigment pattern influences this choice, as well as subsequent mate recognition and mate choice. Using cross-rearing and other approaches, we found that zebrafish learn their preference for particular pigment patterns during juvenile development, and that males and females differ in how they discriminate among pattern variants.

Test tank for analyzing zebrafish shoaling preferences.

2. Zebrafish natural history

Zebrafish natural history has been mostly neglected, but knowing the biotic and abiotic environment of these fish provides an essential context for studying their evolution, ecology, and behavior. Towards this end, we have initiated studies of zebrafish natural history, documenting co-occurring species as well as physical habitats in the wild. Several pictures from a recent trip are shown below. Zebrafish swimming in their native habitat can be seen in a Quicktime movie compiled from multiple still images.

Field sites from our recent survey of zebrafish populations.

One of the sites we found with abundant zebrafish in the state of Meghalaya (elevation, 4331 ft).

A co-occurring snakehead and likely zebrafish predator, Channa sp. "himalayensis".

Packing up after recording obervations at a zebrafish site in West Bengal (elevation, 165 ft).

Ray and Dave in the hills overlooking Bangladesh.

A pregnant male pipefish, Microphis sp., co-occurring with zebrafish.

Sunset over rice paddy, adjacent to a zebrafish population in West Bengal.

Ray and Larissa confer over field notes.

Another species, Dario dario, that co-occurs with zebrafish.

Larissa recording field observations in Meghalaya.