Decussion geometrics in the goldfish nervous system: correlation with probability of survival

In the goldfish, the optic nerve decussation occurs without intermingling of fibers from the two eyes. In two-thirds of juvenile and adult specimens, the left optic nerve is dorsal at the midline. In about 60% of the specimens, the decussation of Mauthner's neuron also has a left-dorsal-to-right (L/R) configuration. Concordance for decussation geometry is greater than 80%, with smaller specimens accounting for a disproportionate number of discordant cases. In embryos and very young larvae, the L/R configuration occurs in slightly less than 50% of optic chiasmata and in slightly more than 50% of Mauthner's cell chiasmata, and there is no significant tendency toward concordance. However, larval specimens that survive 1 month after hatching are markedly skewed toward adult decussation patterns and somewhat skewed toward concordance. These observations, together with results of cannibalization and predation experiments, suggest that the adult population pattern can be achieved through selection pressures against discordant individuals and, perhaps separately, against individuals with right-dorsal-to-left (R/L) chiasmatic configurations. Decussation patterns correlate with embryonic postures, larval orientation preferences, and growth rates after hatching, which may themselves serve as a basis for selection.