Affiliation:
1. Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, SOKENDAI, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Hayama 240-0193, Japan
Abstract
A pattern of two equally bright colours contains only chromatic contrast. Unlike in flies, such a pattern elicits strong optokinetic responses in the butterfly
Papilio xuthus
. To investigate the neural basis of chromatic motion vision, we performed single-cell electrophysiology. We found spiking neurons exhibiting direction-selective motion sensitivity in the second optic ganglion, the medulla. We analysed the response characteristics of these neurons using two-colour stripe patterns moving vertically. We systematically manipulated the intensities of the colours so that the set of presented patterns included an isoluminant condition for the butterfly. Moving patterns containing only chromatic contrast still elicited a response in the neurons. The neurons' sensitivity profile is similar to that of the behavioural responses. Post-recording dye injection revealed that the neurons have dendrites in the ventral lateral protocerebrum and axonal processes in the medulla, suggesting a feedback role. Presumably, the neurons contribute to subtracting wide-field motion to facilitate the detection of small moving targets.
This article is part of the theme issue ‘Understanding colour vision: molecular, physiological, neuronal and behavioural studies in arthropods’.
Funder
SOKENDAI 401 Advanced Sciences Synergy Program
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Subject
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Cited by
4 articles.
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