Role of right hemifield in visual control of approach to target in zebrafish

When a zebrafish has to choose between two identical stimuli (e.g. a conditioned stimulus, CS, for food reward), it tends to respond to the one on its right. Errors are more numerous when reinforced for taking the one on the left rather than the one on the right. When trained to a single medial stimulus, and presented in non-reinforced probe trials with a pair of identical stimuli, the one on the right is chosen. Use by zebrafish of right eye (RE), viewing to control a planned motor response, extends from objects that are to be bitten to a choice of one of two routes. When the CS is visible behind a barrier of vertical bars, so that it can be approached around either end, it is the right end that is chosen. Standing motor bias independent of the nature of the task can be excluded. Other vertebrates show RE control of response. Toads are more likely to take food seen with the RE. The domestic chick uses the RE in visual control of approach to an object that has to be manipulated with the bill. RE control of use of the mouth in a fish shows that that this is an earlier condition than lateralised control of bilateral effecters like hands. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.