Multisensory Integration of Geometric and Landmark Cues in Zebrafish Spatial Reorientation

Spatial navigation involves the integration of multiple environmental cues, yet the mechanisms by which zebrafish merge geometric and landmark information remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate zebrafish reorientation behavior in environments that jointly provided geometry and a conspicuous visual landmark under different sensory conditions. Adult zebrafish were trained in rectangular arenas—either opaque or transparent—featuring by a blue wall or a 3D landmark placed at varying distances from a target corner. Through operant conditioning, fish learned to discriminate the target corner from its geometric equivalent. Behavioral analyses revealed a progressive improvement in accuracy and a flexible reliance on both visual and tactile-like (wall-following) strategies. Performance varied with landmark proximity, supporting the hypothesis of multisensory integration during spatial learning. Overall, these findings demonstrate that zebrafish can coordinate visual and non-visual cues for navigation, strengthening their role as a model species for investigating spatial cognition and sensory compensation mechanisms.