Neuroanatomy of the Zebrafish Brain A Topological Atlas

gene-expression patterns in the zebrafish correspond well The zebrafish belongs to the teleostean family of with the neuromeric model of Puelles and Rubenstein cyprinids (minnows), which includes other neurobiologi (1993) is very encouraging for further research in this cally well investigated species such as goldfish (Carassius model system, which holds the promise of revealing fun auratus) and carp (e. g. Cyprinus carpio). damental neurogenetic patterns and mechanisms in ver In a recent taxonomic revision (Barman, 1991), all spe tebrates. cies of the genus Brachydanio were reassigned to the genus Danio. Thus, the current species designation of the zebrafish is Danio (formerly Brachydanio) rerio (Hamil ton-Buchanan, 1822). As a cyprinid, the zebrafish belongs Generation of zebrafish mutants via saturation mutagenesis to the large group of ostariophysan teleosts (6000 species, The goal of saturation mutagenesis is to identify most - if Lauder and Liem, 1983). Most ostariophysans are charac not all- genes affecting early animal development and to terized by a sophisticated apparatus - the Weberian ossi understand their hierarchical, regulative role during de des - to transmit sound from the swim bladder to the velopment (for reviews, see: Mullins and Ntisslein-Vol inner ear. The ostariophysans belong to the most derived hard, 1993; Solnica-Krezel et aI. , 1994). This approach has group of teleosts, the euteleosts (17000 species), which recently been applied to the zebrafish system, and the re have three more basic teleostean outgroups, the oste sults are impressive.