scholarly journals Polarized light sensitivity in Pieris rapae is dependent on both color and intensity

2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (13) ◽  
pp. jeb220350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam J. Blake ◽  
Gina S. Hahn ◽  
Hayley Grey ◽  
Shelby A. Kwok ◽  
Deby McIntosh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pieris Rapae ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Light Sensitivity

scholarly journals Investigating mechanisms of polarized light sensitivity in the small white butterfly Pieris rapae

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam J. Blake ◽  
Gina S. Hahn ◽  
Hayley Grey ◽  
Shelby Kwok ◽  
Deby McIntosh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual System ◽  
Linear Polarization ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Pieris Rapae ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
Color Difference ◽  
Light Sensitivity ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Compound Eyes

AbstractThere is an ever increasing number of arthropod taxa shown to have polarization sensitivity throughout their compound eyes. However, the mechanisms underlying arthropod perception of polarized reflections from objects such as plants are not well understood. The small white butterfly, Pieris rapae, has been demonstrated to exploit foliar polarized reflections, specifically the degree of linear polarization (DoLP), to recognize host plants. The well-described visual system of P. rapae includes several photoreceptor types (red, green, blue) that are sensitive to polarized light. Yet, the mechanism underlying the behavioral responses of P. rapae to stimuli with different DoLPs remains unknown. To investigate potential mechanisms, we designed several two-choice behavioral bioassays, displaying plant images on paired LCD monitors which allowed for independent control of polarization, color and intensity. We found that shifts in image intensity had a similar effect on P. rapae preferences for stimuli dissimilar in DoLP and dissimilar in color, suggesting DoLP differences are perceived as color. When a DoLP choice was offered between plant images manipulated in a manner to minimizing the response of blue, red, or blue and red photoreceptors, P. rapae shifted its preference for DoLP, suggesting a role for red, green and blue polarization-sensitive photoreceptors. Modeling of P. rapae photoreceptor responses to test stimuli suggests that differential DoLP is not perceived solely as a color difference. Our combined results suggest that P. rapae females process and interpret polarization reflections in a way different from that described for other polarization-sensitive taxa.

The tiered retina of Dytiscus : a new type of compound eye

1970 ◽  
Vol 175 (1038) ◽  
pp. 83-94 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Compound Eye ◽  
Electrical Coupling ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Light Sensitivity ◽  
Sectional Area ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Light Passing ◽  
Small Fields ◽  
New Type ◽  
Different Levels

The retina of Dytiscus is tiered, with proximal and distal layers of receptors at different levels. Photoreceptor units of the proximal retina of the eye of Dytiscus have fields of view so wide that light entering by any facet is able to excite a receptor belonging virtually to any ommatidium in the light- or dark-adapted eye. Although the distal rhabdomeres may have small fields of view, the proximal retina is clearly not adapted for perception of form or movement. The sensitivity of proximal retinula units is compatible with the observations that light passing through many facets sums upon them and that their rhabdomeres are relatively large and jointly occupy the whole cross-sectional area of the eye. The lack of polarized light sensitivity of the proximal retinula units can be attributed to electrical coupling between cells with tubules oriented in different directions within each ommatidium.

scholarly journals Behavioural and physiological mechanisms of polarized light sensitivity in birds

2011 ◽  
Vol 366 (1565) ◽  
pp. 763-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Muheim
Keyword(s):  
Physiological Mechanism ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Light Sensitivity ◽  
Convincing Evidence ◽  
Polarization Pattern ◽  
Compass Orientation ◽  
Receptor System ◽  
Sun Compass ◽  
Skylight Polarization ◽  
Compass Calibration

Polarized light (PL) sensitivity is relatively well studied in a large number of invertebrates and some fish species, but in most other vertebrate classes, including birds, the behavioural and physiological mechanism of PL sensitivity remains one of the big mysteries in sensory biology. Many organisms use the skylight polarization pattern as part of a sun compass for orientation, navigation and in spatial orientation tasks. In birds, the available evidence for an involvement of the skylight polarization pattern in sun-compass orientation is very weak. Instead, cue-conflict and cue-calibration experiments have shown that the skylight polarization pattern near the horizon at sunrise and sunset provides birds with a seasonally and latitudinally independent compass calibration reference. Despite convincing evidence that birds use PL cues for orientation, direct experimental evidence for PL sensitivity is still lacking. Avian double cones have been proposed as putative PL receptors, but detailed anatomical and physiological evidence will be needed to conclusively describe the avian PL receptor. Intriguing parallels between the functional and physiological properties of PL reception and light-dependent magnetoreception could point to a common receptor system.

Fly photoreceptors - II. Spectral and polarized light sensitivity in the drone fly Eristalis

1975 ◽  
Vol 190 (1099) ◽  
pp. 225-237 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Colour Vision ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Light Sensitivity ◽  
Visual Pigments ◽  
Spectral Peak ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Double Peaks

Eristalis tenax , the honeybee mimic, has photoreceptors mainly with double peaks as in typical flies, but the peaks are near 350 and 450 nm. Other cell types with peaks at 350 or 450 or 520 nm were encountered but not commonly. Measurements of the polarization sensitivity lead to the conclusion, as in Calliphora , that where there are two visual pigments they are separated in proximal and distal parts of the rhabdomere, with a twist between the two parts. Therefore there must also be two corresponding metarhodopsins. Receptors with a single spectral peak do not show this effect. Self-absorption can be excluded as an influence on spectral or polarization sensitivity. In its colour vision the drone fly is more like a typical fly than a bee but it has less green sensitive receptors and more blue sensitive ones than calliphora .

Field Evidence for Polarized Light Sensitivity in the Fish Zenarchopterus

Nature ◽  
1970 ◽  
Vol 228 (5266) ◽  
pp. 85-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
TALBOT H. WATERMAN ◽  
RICHARD B. FORWARD
Keyword(s):  
Polarized Light ◽  
Light Sensitivity ◽  
Field Evidence
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