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First published online January 18, 2008
Journal of Experimental Biology 211, 354-360 (2008)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2008
doi: 10.1242/jeb.012880

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Colour vision in coral reef fish

U. E. Siebeck^1,*, G. M. Wallis² and L. Litherland¹

¹ Sensory Biology Group, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Australia
² Visuo-motor control laboratory, School of Human Movements, University of Queensland, Australia

^* Author for correspondence (e-mail: u.siebeck{at}uq.edu.au)

Accepted 30 October 2007

Over many millions of years, sea creatures have developed a range of light reflectance properties. One example is the large variation in the patterns and colours of fish inhabiting the world's coral reefs. Attempts to understand the significance of the colouration have been made, but all too often from the perspective of a human observer. A more ecological approach requires us to consider the visual system of those for whom the colours were intended, namely other sea life. A first step is to understand the sensitivity of reef fish themselves to colour. Physiological data has revealed wavelength-tuned photoreceptors in reef fish, and this study provides behavioural evidence for their application in colour discrimination. Using classical conditioning, freshly caught damselfish were trained to discriminate coloured patterns for a food reward. Within 3–4 days of capture the fish selected a target colour on over 75% of trials. Brightness of the distracter and target were systematically varied to confirm that the fish could discriminate stimuli on the basis of chromaticity alone. The study demonstrates that reef fish can learn to perform two-alternative discrimination tasks, and provides the first behavioural evidence that reef fish have colour vision.

Key words: colour vision, classical conditioning, coral reef fish, behaviour

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