scholarly journals Spatial orientation of social caterpillars is influenced by polarized light

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mizuki Uemura ◽  
Andrej Meglič ◽  
Myron P. Zalucki ◽  
Andrea Battisti ◽  
Gregor Belušič
Keyword(s):  
Visual System ◽  
Spatial Orientation ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Thaumetopoea Pityocampa ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Polarization Vision ◽  
Anatomical Analysis ◽  
Skylight Polarization ◽  
Rugged Surface ◽  
Anatomical Evidence

Processionary caterpillars of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (in Europe) and Ochrogaster lunifer (in Australia) (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) form single files of larvae crawling head-to-tail when moving to feeding and pupation sites. We investigated if the processions are guided by polarization vision. The heading orientation of processions could be manipulated with linear polarizing filters held above the leading caterpillar. Exposure to changes in the angle of polarization around the caterpillars resulted in corresponding changes in heading angles. Anatomical analysis indicated specializations for polarization vision of stemma I in both species. Stemma I has a rhabdom with orthogonal and aligned microvilli, and an opaque and rugged surface, which are optimizations for skylight polarization vision, similar to the dorsal rim of adult insects. Stemmata II-VI have a smooth and shiny surface and lobed rhabdoms with non-orthogonal and non-aligned microvilli; they are thus optimized for general vision with minimal polarization sensitivity. Behavioural and anatomical evidence reveal that polarized light cues are important for larval orientation and can be robustly detected with a simple visual system.

scholarly journals Ultraviolet polarization vision in fishes: possible mechanisms for coding e–vector

2000 ◽  
Vol 355 (1401) ◽  
pp. 1187-1190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig W. Hawryshyn
Keyword(s):  
Polarized Light ◽  
Spatial Arrangement ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Polarization Vision ◽  
Selective Reflection ◽  
Mosaic Pattern ◽  
Cone Mosaic ◽  
Biophysical Mechanism

Polarization vision in vertebrates has been marked with significant controversy over recent decades. In the last decade, however, models from two laboratories have indicated that the spatial arrangement of photoreceptors provides the basis for polarization sensitivity.Work in my laboratory, in collaboration with I. Novales Flamarique and F. I. Harosi, has shown that polarization sensitivity depends on a well–defined square cone mosaic pattern and that the biophysical properties of the square cone mosaic probably account for polarization vision in the ultraviolet spectrum. The biophysical mechanism appears to be based on the selective reflection of axial–polarized light by the partitioning membrane, formed along the contact zone between the members of the double cones, onto neighbouring ultraviolet–sensitive cones. In this short review, I discuss the historical development of this research problem.

Polarization analysis in the crayfish visual system

2001 ◽  
Vol 204 (14) ◽  
pp. 2383-2390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymon M. Glantz
Keyword(s):  
Visual System ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Afferent Input ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Polarization Analysis ◽  
Low Contrast ◽  
Motion Responses ◽  
Light Flashes

SUMMARY It is proposed that polarization sensitivity at the most peripheral stages of the crayfish visual system (lamina ganglionaris and medulla externa) is used to enhance contrast and thus may contribute to motion detection in low contrast environments. The four classes of visual interneurons that exhibit polarization sensitivity (lamina monopolar cells, tangential cells, sustaining fibers and dimming fibers) are not sensitive exclusively to polarized light but also respond to unpolarized contrast stimuli. Furthermore, many of these cells and the sustaining fibers in particular exhibit a greater differential e-vector responsiveness to a changing e-vector than to e-vector variations among steady-state stimuli. While all four cell types respond modestly to light flashes at an e-vector of 90° to the preferred orientation, the dynamic response to a changing e-vector is small or absent at this orientation. Because the sustaining fibers exhibit polarization sensitivity, and they provide afferent input to a subset of optomotor neurons, the latter were also tested for polarization sensitivity. The optomotor neurons involved in compensatory reflexes for body pitch were differentially sensitive to the e-vector angle of a flash of light, with maximum responses for e-vectors near the vertical. The motor neurons also exhibited a maximum response near the vertical e-vector to a continuously rotating polarizer. Two scenarios are described in which the sensitivity to a changing e-vector can produce motion responses in the absence of intensity contrast.

Polarization vision in cuttlefish in a concealed communication channel?

1996 ◽  
Vol 199 (9) ◽  
pp. 2077-2084
Author(s):  
N Shashar ◽  
P Rutledge ◽  
T Cronin
Keyword(s):  
Polarized Light ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Polarization Vision ◽  
Microscopical Examination ◽  
Polarization Pattern ◽  
Behavioral Experiments ◽  
Marine Animals ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Electron Microscopical

Polarization sensitivity is well documented in marine animals, but its function is not yet well understood. Of the cephalopods, squid and octopus are known to be sensitive to the orientation of polarization of incoming light. This sensitivity arises from the orthogonal orientation of neighboring photoreceptors. Electron microscopical examination of the retina of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis L. revealed the same orthogonal structure, suggesting that cuttlefish are also sensitive to linearly polarized light. Viewing cuttlefish through an imaging polarized light analyzer revealed a prominent polarization pattern on the arms, around the eyes and on the forehead of the animals. The polarization pattern disappeared when individuals lay camouflaged on the bottom and also during extreme aggression display, attacks on prey, copulation and egg-laying behavior in females. In behavioral experiments, the responses of cuttlefish to their images reflected from a mirror changed when the polarization patterns of the reflected images were distorted. These results suggest that cuttlefish use polarization vision and display for intraspecific recognition and communication.

Two-Channel Polarization Analyzer in the Sustaining Fiber-Dimming Fiber Ensemble of Crayfish Visual System

1998 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 2571-2583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymon M. Glantz ◽  
Andy McIsaac
Keyword(s):  
Visual System ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Visual Responses ◽  
Polarization Analyzer ◽  
Peripheral Neurons ◽  
Steady State Responses ◽  
Vector Orientation ◽  
Channel Polarization ◽  
State Responses

Glantz, Raymon M. and Andy McIsaac. Two-channel polarization analyzer in the sustaining fiber-dimming fiber ensemble of crayfish visual system. J. Neurophysiol. 80: 2571–2583, 1998. Polarization sensitivity (PS) was examined in two classes of neurons, sustaining fibers and dimming fibers, in the medulla externa (second optic neuropile) of the crayfish, Pacifasticus leniusculus. Visual responses were recorded intracellularly and extracellularly. The influence of e-vector orientation (θ) was probed in steady-state responses, with brief flashes and with a rotating polarizer. The results indicate that the entire sustaining fiber population appears to be maximally sensitive to vertically polarized light. Although the evidence is less complete for dimming fibers, they appear to be maximally inhibited by vertically polarized light and excited by horizontally polarized light. Thus the sustaining fibers and dimming fibers form a two-channel polarization analyzer that captures the main features of the polarization system established in photoreceptors and lamina monopolar cells. The available evidence suggests that this two-channel system has the same characteristics across most or all of the retinula. Lateral inhibition in sustaining fibers is differentially sensitive to θ. Inhibition is substantial at θ = 90° (horizontal) and essentially absent at θ = 0°. The details of the sustaining fiber polarization response closely follow features established in more peripheral neurons, including the magnitude of PS, enhanced responsiveness to a changing e-vector, and modest directionality to a changing e-vector in∼40% of the cells.

Polarization Vision

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas W. Cronin ◽  
Sönke Johnsen ◽  
N. Justin Marshall ◽  
Eric J. Warrant
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Natural Scenes ◽  
Polarization Vision ◽  
Natural Behavior ◽  
Remarkable Feature ◽  
Celestial Navigation ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Light Stimuli

This chapter explores how polarization sensitivity is achieved in animals and how it is used in natural behavior. Arthropods are famous for their polarization sensitivity, but other animals, including vertebrates are also capable of this. A remarkable feature of some insect systems is that the sky pattern is genetically imprinted into the neural arrangements, all the way through to the central nervous system. However, celestial navigation is not the only use to which animals can put polarization vision. Other functions may include communication, contrast enhancement, and camouflage breaking. Polarized light stimuli are abundant in nature. Although no important source of light is polarized, light may become polarized when it is scattered or reflected. These two fundamental principles produce abundant polarized light in natural scenes, which explains why polarization vision is so common.

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.

scholarly journals Optimization ofs-Polarization Sensitivity in Apertureless Near-Field Optical Microscopy

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuika Saito ◽  
Yoshiro Ohashi ◽  
Prabhat Verma
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Rayleigh Scattering ◽  
Incident Light ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Experimental Setup ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
General Belief ◽  
Polarization Configuration

It is a general belief in apertureless near-field microscopy that the so-calledp-polarization configuration, where the incident light is polarized parallel to the axis of the probe, is advantageous to its counterpart, thes-polarization configuration, where the incident light is polarized perpendicular to the probe axis. While this is true for most samples under common near-field experimental conditions, there are samples which respond better to thes-polarization configuration due to their orientations. Indeed, there have been several reports that have discussed such samples. This leads us to an important requirement that the near-field experimental setup should be equipped with proper sensitivity for measurements withs-polarization configuration. This requires not only creation of effective s-polarized illumination at the near-field probe, but also proper enhancement of s-polarized light by the probe. In this paper, we have examined thes-polarization enhancement sensitivity of near-field probes by measuring and evaluating the near-field Rayleigh scattering images constructed by a variety of probes. We found that thes-polarization enhancement sensitivity strongly depends on the sharpness of the apex of near-field probes. We have discussed the efficient value of probe sharpness by considering a balance between the enhancement and the spatial resolution, both of which are essential requirements of apertureless near-field microscopy.

scholarly journals An unsuccessful attempt to elicit orientation responses to linearly polarized light in hatchling loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta )

2011 ◽  
Vol 366 (1565) ◽  
pp. 757-762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia M. Mäthger ◽  
Kenneth J. Lohmann ◽  
Colin J. Limpus ◽  
Kerstin A. Fritsches
Keyword(s):  
Light Field ◽  
Uv Light ◽  
Light Emitting Diode ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Caretta Caretta ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Light Perception ◽  
Unsuccessful Attempt ◽  
Swimming Direction

Sea turtles undertake long migrations in the open ocean, during which they rely at least partly on magnetic cues for navigation. In principle, sensitivity to polarized light might be an additional sensory capability that aids navigation. Furthermore, polarization sensitivity has been linked to ultraviolet (UV) light perception which is present in sea turtles. Here, we tested the ability of hatchling loggerheads ( Caretta caretta ) to maintain a swimming direction in the presence of broad-spectrum polarized light. At the start of each trial, hatchling turtles, with their magnetic sense temporarily impaired by magnets, successfully established a steady course towards a light-emitting diode (LED) light source while the polarized light field was present. When the LED was removed, however, hatchlings failed to maintain a steady swimming direction, even though the polarized light field remained. Our results have failed to provide evidence for polarized light perception in young sea turtles and suggest that alternative cues guide the initial migration offshore.

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