Visualization of electric fields and associated behavior in fish and other aquatic animals

In some fish lineages, evolution has led to unique sensory adaptations that provide information which is not available to terrestrial animals. These sensory systems include, among others, electroreception, which together with the ability of fish to generate electric discharges plays a role in social communication and object location. Most studies on electric phenomena in aquatic animals are dedicated to selected groups of electric fishes that regularly generate electric signals (Mormyriformes, Gymnotiformes). There exist, however, several species (hitherto described as non-electric) which, though able to perceive electric signals, have now been found to also generate them. In this article, we introduce a tool that we have designed to investigate such electric activity. This required significant adaptations of the equipment used in fish with regular discharge generation. The necessary improvements were realized by using a multielectrode registration setup allowing simultaneous visualization and quantification of behavior and associated electric activity of fish, alone or in groups, with combined electro-video clips. Precise synchronization of locomotor and electric behaviors made it possible to determine the electrically active fish in a group, and also the location of the electrogenic structure inside the fish's body. Our simple registration procedure, together with data presentation, should attract a broad audience of scientists taking up the challenge of uncovering electric phenomena in aquatic animals currently treated as electrically inactive.