Visual discrimination and object categorization in the cichlid Pseudotropheus sp.

Object categorization is an important function of the visual system, quickly providing an animal with relevant information about its surrounding and current situation, as for example during predator detection. While the ability to categorize objects has already been observed in several vertebrate and even invertebrate species, no attempt has previously been made to evaluate this function in fish, the most species-rich vertebrate group. This study assessed form discrimination abilities and object categorization skills in the African cichlid Pseudotropheus sp. Fish could discriminate between a variety of two-dimensional geometrical shapes, forms and sizes and learned to distinguish between two categories, "fish" versus "snail". Performance remained undisturbed by extensive modifications to the stimuli, as long as key features were maintained. Results indicate that fish not only memorized the features of the positive stimulus (categorized the positive stimulus), but also categorized the negative stimulus. During transfer trials involving a previously unknown object, fish were able to discriminate between both the negative and the positive stimulus and the unknown stimulus and responded accordingly.