On the discrimination of spatial intervals by the blind cave fish (Anoptichthys jordani)

The performance of the blind cave fish in discriminating spatial intervals was investigated. The fish had to discriminate between pairs of grids consisting of equidistant vertical bars. The intervals between the bars on the grid to be chosen were kept constant while the intervals between the bars on the other grid were altered in steps so as to become gradually closer to the interval between the bars on the grid to be chosen. It was found that the fish were still able to discriminate between the two grids when the difference between the bar intervals amounted to at least 1.5 mm. In interpreting the results it was concluded that the phase information in the stimulus on the skin of the fish must be significant for it.