Sensory modalities in cichlid fish behavior

- Cichlids rely on five key sensory systems (hearing, mechanosensation, taste, olfaction and vision) to make behavioral decisions.
- Cichlids may rely on different cues for different behavioral situations.
- Cichlid sensitivities show evidence of adaptations among species that may contribute to speciation.

Among teleosts, cichlids are a great model for studies of evolution, behavior, diversity and speciation. Studies of cichlid sensory systems have revealed diverse sensory capabilities that vary among species. Hence, sensory systems are important for understanding cichlid behavior from proximate and ultimate points of view. Cichlids primarily rely on five sensory channels: hearing, mechanosensation, taste, vision, and olfaction, to receive information from the environment and respond accordingly. Within these sensory channels, cichlid species exhibit different adaptations to their surrounding environment, which differ in abiotic and biotic stimuli. Research on cichlid sensory capabilities and behaviors incorporates integrative approaches and relies on diverse scientific disciplines from physics to chemistry to neurobiology in order to understand the evolution of the cichlid sensory systems.

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