Hydrodynamic image formation by the peripheral lateral line system of the Lake Michigan mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdi

Lake Michigan mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi) have a lateral-line-mediated prey-capture behaviour that consists of an initial orientation towards the prey a sequence of approach movements, and a final strike at the prey. This unconditioned behaviour can be elicited from blinded sculpin in the labora tory by both real and artificial (vibrating sphere) prey. In order to visua lize what Lake Michigan mottled sculpin might perceive through their latera l line when approaching prey, we have combined anatomical, neuro-physiologi cal, behavioural and computational modelling techniques to produce three-di mensional maps of how excitation patterns along the lateral line sensory su rface change as sculpin approach a vibrating sphere. Changes in the excitat ion patterns and the information they contain about source location are con sistent with behavioural performance, including the approach pathways taken by sculpin to the sphere, the maximum distances at which approaches can be elicited, distances from which strikes are launched, and strike success. I nformation content is generally higher for laterally located sources than f or frontally located sources and this may explain exceptional performance ( e.g. successful strikes from unusually long distances) in response to later al sources and poor performance (e.g. unsuccessful strikes) to frontal sour ces.