Automated analysis of eye-body coordination during prey captures by newborn live-bearing fish

Compared to egg-laying fish, live-bearing species invest much energy in the production of fewer, yet relatively more developed offspring. Although in many live-bearing species (e.g. mammals) viviparity is combined with extensive brood care after birth, this is not the case in the Poeciliidae, a family of freshwater fish that includes the well-known guppy (Poecilia reticulata), mollies (subgenus Mollienesia) and swordtails (genus Xiphophorus). The lack of post-natal parental care makes it critically important for newborn Poeciliids to quickly develop the required skills for survival, such as the ability to capture prey and escape predators.