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.

scholarly journals The linearly polarized light field in clear, tropical marine waters: spatial and temporal variation of light intensity, degree of polarization and e-vector angle

2001 ◽  
Vol 204 (14) ◽  
pp. 2461-2467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas W. Cronin ◽  
Nadav Shashar
Keyword(s):  
Light Field ◽  
Marine Invertebrates ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Degree Of Polarization ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variation ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Marine Animals ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Vector Angle

SUMMARYSensitivity to polarized light is widespread among marine animals, including crustaceans, cephalopods and some fishes. They use this ability to orient and find prey, and possibly for a number of other visual tasks. Unlike the ultraviolet-sensitive polarization receptors of most insects, the polarization receptors of marine invertebrates tend to be maximally sensitive near 500nm, suggesting that polarized light in water differs from that in air. The underwater field of partially linearly polarized light has been studied for nearly 50 years, but data are still limited and sparse. We measured the submarine polarized light field from 350 to 600nm throughout the day on a coral reef in the Florida Keys at a depth of 15m using the underwater laboratory Aquarius as a research platform. Our results show that the angle of polarization as viewed along any given line of sight at this depth is a relatively simple function of solar position and that the degree of polarization is greatest 60–90° from the sun. Both e-vector angle and degree of polarization vary only slightly with wavelength, although light is sometimes less polarized in the ultraviolet. Since light is most intense at medium wavelengths and polarization is nearly maximal at these wavelengths, invertebrate polarization photoreceptors are spectrally well placed. Also, the relative spectral constancy of the angle and degree of polarization supports fish polarization sensitivity, which relies on spectrally diverse photoreceptor sets.

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.

scholarly journals Heading choices of flying Drosophila under changing angles of polarized light

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas F. Mathejczyk ◽  
Mathias F. Wernet
Keyword(s):  
Incident Angle ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Green Light ◽  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
Open Loop ◽  
Slow Rotation ◽  
Visually Guided ◽  
Polarization Pattern ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
3D Printed

AbstractMany navigating insects include the celestial polarization pattern as an additional visual cue to orient their travels. Spontaneous orientation responses of both walking and flying fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) to linearly polarized light have previously been demonstrated. Using newly designed modular flight arenas consisting entirely of off-the-shelf parts and 3D-printed components we present individual flying flies with a slow and continuous rotational change in the incident angle of linear polarization. Under such open-loop conditions, single flies choose arbitrary headings with respect to the angle of polarized light and show a clear tendency to maintain those chosen headings for several minutes, thereby adjusting their course to the slow rotation of the incident stimulus. Importantly, flies show the tendency to maintain a chosen heading even when two individual test periods under a linearly polarized stimulus are interrupted by an epoch of unpolarized light lasting several minutes. Finally, we show that these behavioral responses are wavelength-specific, existing under polarized UV stimulus while being absent under polarized green light. Taken together, these findings provide further evidence supporting Drosophila’s abilities to use celestial cues for visually guided navigation and course correction.

scholarly journals No evidence for polarization sensitivity in the pigeon electroretinogram

1995 ◽  
Vol 198 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
J J Vos Hzn ◽  
M A J M Coemans ◽  
J F W Nuboer
Keyword(s):  
White Light ◽  
Monochromatic Light ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Slow Rotation ◽  
Unpolarized Light ◽  
Linearly Polarized

The electroretinographical response to flashes of linearly polarized light directed at the pigeon's yellow field was compared with that to flashes of unpolarized light. This was carried out for white light and for monochromatic light of various wavelengths, including ultraviolet. In addition, responses to slow rotation of the E-vector of polarized light were measured. Neither the presence or absence of polarization, nor the orientation of the E-vector, influenced any of the electrophysiological variables that were monitored in these experiments.

scholarly journals Heading choices of flying Drosophila under changing angles of polarized light

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas F. Mathejczyk ◽  
Mathias F. Wernet
Keyword(s):  
Incident Angle ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Green Light ◽  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
Open Loop ◽  
Slow Rotation ◽  
Visually Guided ◽  
Polarization Pattern ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
3D Printed

SummaryMany navigating insects include the celestial polarization pattern as an additional visual cue to orient their travels. Spontaneous orientation responses of both walking and flying fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) to linearly polarized light have previously been demonstrated. Using newly designed modular flight arenas consisting entirely of off-the-shelf parts and 3D-printed components we present individual flying flies with a slow and continuous rotational change in the incident angle of linear polarization. Under such open-loop conditions, single flies choose arbitrary headings with respect to the angle of polarized light and show a clear tendency to maintain those chosen headings for several minutes, thereby adjusting their course to the slow rotation of the incident stimulus. Importantly, flies show the tendency to maintain a chosen heading even when two individual test periods under a linearly polarized stimulus are interrupted by an epoch of unpolarized light lasting several minutes. Finally, we show that these behavioral responses are wavelength-specific, existing under polarized UV stimulus while being absent under polarized green light. Taken together, these findings provide further evidence supporting Drosophila’s abilities to use celestial cues for visually guided navigation and course correction.

scholarly journals Neural processing of linearly and circularly polarized light signal in a mantis shrimp Haptosquilla pulchella

2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (22) ◽  
pp. jeb219832
Author(s):  
Tsyr-Huei Chiou ◽  
Ching-Wen Wang
Keyword(s):  
Circular Polarization ◽  
Linear Polarization ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Polarization Vision ◽  
Animal Group ◽  
Circularly Polarized Light ◽  
Circularly Polarized ◽  
Mantis Shrimp ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Vector Angle

ABSTRACTStomatopods, or mantis shrimp, are the only animal group known to possess circular polarization vision along with linear polarization vision. By using the rhabdomere of a distally located photoreceptor as a wave retarder, the eyes of mantis shrimp are able to convert circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light. As a result, their circular polarization vision is based on the linearly polarized light-sensitive photoreceptors commonly found in many arthropods. To investigate how linearly and circularly polarized light signals might be processed, we presented a dynamic polarized light stimulus while recording from photoreceptors or lamina neurons in intact mantis shrimp Haptosquilla pulchella. The results indicate that all the circularly polarized light-sensitive photoreceptors also showed differential responses to the changing e-vector angle of linearly polarized light. When stimulated with linearly polarized light of varying e-vector angle, most photoreceptors produced a concordant sinusoidal response. In contrast, some lamina neurons doubled the response frequency in reacting to linearly polarized light. These responses resembled a rectified sum of two-channel linear polarization-sensitive photoreceptors, indicating that polarization visual signals are processed at or before the first optic lobe. Noticeably, within the lamina, there was one type of neuron that showed a steady depolarization response to all stimuli except right-handed circularly polarized light. Together, our findings suggest that, between the photoreceptors and lamina neurons, linearly and circularly polarized light may be processed in parallel and differently from one another.

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 Polarization-Sensitive Light Sensors Based on a Bulk Perovskite MAPbBr3 Single Crystal

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1238
Author(s):  
Yuan Wang ◽  
Laipan Zhu ◽  
Cuifeng Du
Keyword(s):  
Single Crystal ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Light Polarization ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Anisotropy Ratio ◽  
Spin Orbit Coupling ◽  
Band Tail ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Halide Perovskites ◽  
Shed Light

Organic-inorganic halide perovskites have attracted much attention thanks to their excellent optoelectronic performances. Here, a bulk CH3NH3PbBr3 (MAPbBr3) single crystal (SC) was fabricated, whose temperature and light polarization dependence was investigated by measuring photoluminescence. The presence of obvious band tail states was unveiled when the applied temperature was reduced from room temperature to 78 K. Temperature dependence of the bandgap of the MAPbBr3 SC was found to be abnormal compared with those of traditional semiconductors due to the presence of instabilization of out-of-phase tail states. The MAPbBr3 SC revealed an anisotropy light absorption for linearly polarized light with an anisotropy ratio of 1.45, and a circular dichroism ratio of up to 9% was discovered due to the spin-orbit coupling in the band tail states, exhibiting great polarization sensitivity of the MAPbBr3 SC for the application of light sensors. These key findings shed light on the development of potential optoelectronic and spintronic applications based on large-scaled organic-inorganic perovskite SCs.

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 Why do horseflies need polarization vision for host detection? Polarization helps tabanid flies to select sunlit dark host animals from the dark patches of the visual environment

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
pp. 170735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gábor Horváth ◽  
Tamás Szörényi ◽  
Ádám Pereszlényi ◽  
Balázs Gerics ◽  
Ramón Hegedüs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polarized Light ◽  
Degree Of Polarization ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Host Animal ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Imaging Polarimetry ◽  
Host Detection ◽  
Vegetation Region ◽  
Two Parameters ◽  
Polarization Of Light

Horseflies (Tabanidae) are polarotactic, being attracted to linearly polarized light when searching for water or host animals. Although it is well known that horseflies prefer sunlit dark and strongly polarizing hosts, the reason for this preference is unknown. According to our hypothesis, horseflies use their polarization sensitivity to look for targets with higher degrees of polarization in their optical environment, which as a result facilitates detection of sunlit dark host animals. In this work, we tested this hypothesis. Using imaging polarimetry, we measured the reflection–polarization patterns of a dark host model and a living black cow under various illumination conditions and with different vegetation backgrounds. We focused on the intensity and degree of polarization of light originating from dark patches of vegetation and the dark model/cow. We compared the chances of successful host selection based on either intensity or degree of polarization of the target and the combination of these two parameters. We show that the use of polarization information considerably increases the effectiveness of visual detection of dark host animals even in front of sunny–shady–patchy vegetation. Differentiation between a weakly polarizing, shady (dark) vegetation region and a sunlit, highly polarizing dark host animal increases the efficiency of host search by horseflies.

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