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Zebrafish vision: the science and the numbers

Danio rerio · order Cypriniformes · Fish: all the numbers

The zebrafish has four colour channels, including ultraviolet (362, 415, 480 and 561 nm).[1] Its sharpest vision resolves 0.59 cycles per degree, against 63.75 for people in this dataset.[5] Both eyes see the same 32.7° in front of it.[8] The zebrafish stops seeing flicker at 32 Hz, against 60 Hz for people.[26]

See it on your photoBack to How does the zebrafish see?
  • 4colour receptor classesMeasured*
  • 0.59cycles per degree (sharpness)Measured
  • 32.7°seen by both eyesMeasured*
  • 32hertz flicker fusion (motion)Measured*

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a fish in the order Cypriniformes. Its eyes belong to the vision type Shallow-water fish tetrachromat: four cone types including ultraviolet and far red. Measured in this species: colour, sharpness, field of view and motion (flicker fusion). Measured core: measured values on at least 3 of the 6 dials.

This is a simulation built from published eye measurements, not what the animal experiences.

Method: How we know what animals see (the See Like Animals vision engine) · Sources · Last updated . Every value below carries its evidence level and sources; nothing is typed by hand.

What the zebrafish sees: colour receptors

Zebrafish colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmZebrafish: 4 receptor peaks at 362, 415, 480, 561 nm; you: 3 at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Zebrafish: 362, 415, 480, 561 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • It has 4 colour receptor classes, including ultraviolet; people have 3.
  • Its sharpest vision resolves 0.59 cycles per degree: the finest stripe pattern it can tell apart from grey.
  • Both eyes see the same 32.7° in front of it (binocular overlap), where depth is judged best.
  • It stops seeing flicker at 32 Hz, against 60 Hz for people in this dataset, so fast motion looks choppier to it.[27][28]

The six dials

Evidence levels: how the tiers work. "Measured" means a value measured in this species; "Estimated" values come from a close relative or an eye-size formula. The last column gives the values for people from the same catalogue.

Vision values for the zebrafish (Danio rerio), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSourcesPeople
ColourColour receptors
4 receptor classes: 362 nm (UVS), 415 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 480 nm (MWS (green)), 561 nm (LWS (long))
measured in this species
Measured (not re-verified)[1]Colour receptors: 3 receptor classes: 421.5 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 532 nm (MWS (green)), 558.4 nm (LWS (long)) Measured (not re-verified)[2][1][3][4]
Ultraviolet
yes: at least one receptor peaks in the ultraviolet		Measured (not re-verified)
SharpnessAcuity
0.59 cycles per degree
median of 1 behavioural rows (method priority rule); acuity_cpd: larval/juvenile rows (adult rows used) set aside (labelled alternative: 0.871); acuity_cpd: dim-light rows (bright-light rows used) set aside (labelled…
Measured[5]Acuity: 63.75 cycles per degree Measured[6][7]
Field of viewBinocular overlap
32.7°
median of 1 rows (eyes-at-rest rows preferred)
Measured (not re-verified)[8]Binocular overlap: 122.5° Measured[9][10]
Total field of view: 200° Measured (not re-verified)[11]
Blind area behind the head: 160° Derived[11]
Eye placement: frontal Derived[9][10]
Eye placement
lateral
frontal if binocular overlap >= 60 deg, else lateral
Derived[8]
Sharp zones (foveas)Number of foveas
0
group default: mode of tier-A values in vision type the "Shallow-water fish tetrachromat" type within phylum Chordata (2 species: Toxotes jaculatrix, Anableps anableps)
Group default[12][13]Number of foveas: 1 Measured[14]
Fovea type: fovea Measured[14]
Fovea type
ventrotemporal area (high rgc density)		Group default[12][13]
Night visionActivity pattern
diurnal
group default: mode of tier-A values in vision type the "Shallow-water fish tetrachromat" type within phylum Chordata (1 species: Amphiprion ocellaris)
Group default[15]Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)[16][17][18][2][19][20][21][22]
Pupil shape: vertical Group default[23][24]
Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured[25]
Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived[16][17][18][2][19][20][21][22]
Rods vs cones
cone-dominated		Group default[15]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
32 Hz
species-v1.csv
Measured (not re-verified)[26]Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured[27][28]

All fish side by side: Fish: every measurement. Method: how we know what animals see.

Sources

  1. Kirwan
  2. Longcore 2023
  3. Müller et al. 2009
  4. Thermal Activation and Photoactivation of Visual… 2004
  5. Caves et al. 2024
  6. Kirk et al. 2004
  7. Veilleux et al. 2014
  8. Pita et al. 2015
  9. Heesy 2004
  10. Heffner et al. 1992
  11. Campbell & Green 1965
  12. Schwab et al. 2001
  13. Temple et al. 2010
  14. Kopania et al. 2025
  15. Froese et al.
  16. Anderson et al. 2017
  17. Borges et al. 2018
  18. Wilman et al. 2014
  19. Maor et al. 2017
  20. Jones et al. 2009
  21. Schmitz et al. 2011
  22. Moura et al. 2024
  23. Banks et al. 2015
  24. Cervino et al. 2021
  25. Guareschi et al. 2025
  26. Patterson et al. 2002
  27. Healy et al. 2013
  28. Inger et al. 2014

Every value cites its sources (all sources). Values were extracted from these works and converted (units, medians, derived values); changes are ours, and the listed sources do not endorse this site. Data: catalogue-v1, built 2026-09-29. Accuracy notes: how accurate is this? Method: how we know.