Mapping the Landscape: A Comprehensive Analysis of Zebrafish Research in Brazil (2020-2025)

Brazil has emerged as a significant contributor to the global zebrafish (Danio rerio) research community, yet a comprehensive analysis of its national output, collaboration networks, and thematic focus has been lacking. This study provides a systematic bibliometric analysis of 801 Brazilian-corresponding articles published from 2020 to 2025, representing ∼2.7% of global production. Our findings reveal a marked concentration of scientific output, with the South and Southeast regions contributing ∼65% of national publications, led by the states of Rio Grande do Sul (24.8%) and São Paulo (20.4%). Despite this geographic disparity, a robust and integrative national collaboration network connects all regions, with an average 34% of publications involving interstate co-authorship. International partnerships are substantial (30.4% of output), led by the Southeast and South regions, and feature distinct geographic profiles, including the Central-West's links with South Asia. The field is characterized by a strong applied focus, with Toxicology (34% of studies), Pharmacology (18.3%), and Neuroscience (15%) dominating the research landscape, aligning with the predominant use of the adult zebrafish model (64%). Publication is heavily concentrated in environmental and toxicology journals, with nearly half of all output published by Elsevier (47%). These results map a dynamic, collaborative, and thematically focused national research community that is resilient yet faces persistent regional inequalities. The study establishes a critical baseline for understanding the structure and drivers of Brazilian science in a globally relevant model organism.