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Newman BA, D’Angelo GJ. A Review of Cervidae Visual Ecology. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:420. [PMID: 38338063 PMCID: PMC10854973 DOI: 10.3390/ani14030420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
This review examines the visual systems of cervids in relation to their ability to meet their ecological needs and how their visual systems are specialized for particular tasks. Cervidae encompasses a diverse group of mammals that serve as important ecological drivers within their ecosystems. Despite evidence of highly specialized visual systems, a large portion of cervid research ignores or fails to consider the realities of cervid vision as it relates to their ecology. Failure to account for an animal's visual ecology during research can lead to unintentional biases and uninformed conclusions regarding the decision making and behaviors for a species or population. Our review addresses core behaviors and their interrelationship with cervid visual characteristics. Historically, the study of cervid visual characteristics has been restricted to specific areas of inquiry such as color vision and contains limited integration into broader ecological and behavioral research. The purpose of our review is to bridge these gaps by offering a comprehensive review of cervid visual ecology that emphasizes the interplay between the visual adaptations of cervids and their interactions with habitats and other species. Ultimately, a better understanding of cervid visual ecology allows researchers to gain deeper insights into their behavior and ecology, providing critical information for conservation and management efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blaise A. Newman
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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2
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Taskin HO, Wivel J, Aguirre GD, Beltran WA, Aguirre GK. Cone-Driven, Geniculocortical Responses in Canine Models of Outer Retinal Disease. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2024; 13:18. [PMID: 38241039 PMCID: PMC10807495 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.13.1.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Canine models of inherited retinal degeneration are used for proof of concept of emerging gene and cell-based therapies that aim to produce functional restoration of cone-mediated vision. We examined functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of the postretinal response to cone-directed stimulation in wild-type (WT) dogs, and in three different retinal disease models. Methods Temporal spectral modulation of a uniform field of light around a photopic background was used to target the canine L/M (hereafter "L") and S cones and rods. Stimuli were designed to separately target the postreceptoral luminance (L+S) and chrominance (L-S) pathways, the rods, and all photoreceptors jointly (light flux). These stimuli were presented to WT, and mutant PDE6B-RCD1, RPGR-XLPRA2, and NPHP5-CRD2 dogs during pupillometry and functional MRI (fMRI). Results Pupil responses in WT dogs to light flux, L+S, and rod-directed stimuli were consistent with responses being driven by cone signals alone. For WT animals, both luminance and chromatic (L-S) stimuli evoked fMRI responses in the lateral geniculate nucleus or visual cortex; RCD1 animals with predominant rod loss had similar responses. Responses to cone-directed stimulation were reduced in XLPRA2 and absent in CRD2. NPHP5 gene augmentation restored the cortical response to luminance stimulation in a CRD2 animal. Conclusions Cone-directed stimulation during fMRI can be used to measure the integrity of luminance and chrominance responses in the dog visual system. The NPHP5-CRD2 model is appealing for studies of recovered cone function. Translational Relevance fMRI assessment of cone-driven cortical response provides a tool to translate cell/gene therapies for vision restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huseyin O. Taskin
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jacqueline Wivel
- Division of Experimental Retinal Therapies, Department of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gustavo D. Aguirre
- Division of Experimental Retinal Therapies, Department of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - William A. Beltran
- Division of Experimental Retinal Therapies, Department of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Geoffrey K. Aguirre
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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3
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Taskin HO, Wivel J, Aguirre GD, Beltran WA, Aguirre GK. Cone-driven, geniculo-cortical responses in canine models of outer retinal disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.13.571523. [PMID: 38168165 PMCID: PMC10760074 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.13.571523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Purpose Canine models of inherited retinal degeneration are used for proof-of-concept of emerging gene and cell-based therapies that aim to produce functional restoration of cone-mediated vision. We examined functional MRI measures of the post-retinal response to cone-directed stimulation in wild type (WT) dogs, and in three different retinal disease models. Methods Temporal spectral modulation of a uniform field of light around a photopic background was used to target the canine L/M (hereafter "L") and S cones and rods. Stimuli were designed to separately target the post-receptoral luminance (L+S) and chrominance (L-S) pathways, the rods, and all photoreceptors jointly (light flux). These stimuli were presented to WT, and mutant PDE6B-RCD1, RPGR-XLPRA2, and NPHP5-CRD2 dogs during pupillometry and fMRI. Results Pupil responses in WT dogs to light flux, L+S, and rod-directed stimuli were consistent with responses being driven by cone signals alone. For WT animals, both luminance and chromatic (L-S) stimuli evoked fMRI responses in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) or visual cortex; RCD1 animals with predominant rod loss had similar responses. Responses to cone-directed stimulation were reduced in XLPRA2 and absent in CRD2. NPHP5 gene augmentation restored the cortical response to luminance stimulation in a CRD2 animal. Conclusions Cone-directed stimulation during fMRI can be used to measure the integrity of luminance and chrominance responses in the dog visual system. The NPHP5-CRD2 model is appealing for studies of recovered cone function. Translational Relevance fMRI assessment of cone driven cortical response provides a tool to translate cell/gene therapies for vision restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huseyin O. Taskin
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Jacqueline Wivel
- Division of Experimental Retinal Therapies, Department of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Gustavo D. Aguirre
- Division of Experimental Retinal Therapies, Department of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - William A. Beltran
- Division of Experimental Retinal Therapies, Department of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Geoffrey K. Aguirre
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Newman BA, Dyal JR, Miller KV, Cherry MJ, D'Angelo GJ. Influence of visual perception on movement decisions by an ungulate prey species. Biol Open 2023; 12:bio059932. [PMID: 37843403 PMCID: PMC10602006 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Visual perception is dynamic and depends on physiological properties of a species' visual system and physical characteristics of the environment. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are most sensitive to short- and mid-wavelength light (e.g. blue and green). Wavelength enrichment varies spatially and temporally across the landscape. We assessed how the visual perception of deer influences their movement decisions. From August to September 2019, we recorded 10-min locations from 15 GPS-collared adult male deer in Central Florida. We used Hidden-Markov models to identify periods of movement by deer and subset these data into three time periods based on temporal changes in light environments. We modeled resource selection during movement using path-selection functions and simulated 10 available paths for every path used. We developed five a priori models and used 10-fold cross validation to assess our top model's performance for each time period. During the day, deer selected to move through woodland shade, avoided forest shade, and neither selected nor avoided small gaps. At twilight, deer avoided wetlands as cloud cover increased but neither selected nor avoided other cover types. Visual cues and signals are likely more conspicuous to deer in short-wavelength-enriched woodland shade during the day, while at twilight in long-wavelength-enriched wetlands during cloud cover, visual cues are likely less conspicuous. The nocturnal light environment did not influence resource selection and likely has little effect on deer movements because it's relatively homogenous. Our findings suggest visual perception relative to light environments is likely an underappreciated driver of behaviors and decision-making by an ungulate prey species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blaise A. Newman
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Jordan R. Dyal
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Karl V. Miller
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Michael J. Cherry
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 700 University Blvd., Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Gino J. D'Angelo
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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5
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Fukuoka H, Gali HE, Bu JJ, Sella R, Afshari NA. Ultraviolet light exposure and its penetrance through the eye in a porcine model. Int J Ophthalmol 2023; 16:172-177. [PMID: 36816219 PMCID: PMC9922635 DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2023.02.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM To determine the amount of ultraviolet (UV) light irradiance that various layers of the eye receive as sunlight passes through the eye, and to investigate the protective benefits of UV light-blocking contact lenses. METHODS Twenty-four porcine eyes were prepared in one of three ways: isolated cornea, cornea and lens together, or whole eye preparation. UV light irradiance was measured with a UV-A/B light meter before and after the eye preparations were placed over the meter to measure UV light penetration in each eye structure. In the whole eye preparation, a hole was placed in the fovea to measure light as it passed through the vitreous. Subsequently, UV-protective contact lenses were placed over the structures, and UV light penetrance was measured. Measurements of UV light exposure were taken outdoors at various locations and times. RESULTS Cornea absorbed 63.56% of UV light that reached the eye. Cornea and lens absorbed 99.34% of UV light. Whole eye absorbed 99.77% of UV light. When UV-protective contact lenses were placed, absorption was 98.90%, 99.55%, and 99.87%, respectively. UV light exposure was dependent on directionality and time of day, and was greatest in areas of high albedo that reflect significant amounts of light, such as a beach. CONCLUSION Cornea absorbs the majority of UV light that reaches the eye in this model. UV-protective contact lenses reduce UV exposure to the eye. Locations with high albedo expose the eye to higher levels of UV light.
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Morandi K, Lindholm AK, Lee DE, Bond ML. Biofluorescence and predator avoidance in the giraffe. Afr J Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.13107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kin Morandi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Anna K. Lindholm
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Derek E. Lee
- Wild Nature Institute Concord New Hampshire USA
- Department of Biology Pennsylvania State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
| | - Monica L. Bond
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Wild Nature Institute Concord New Hampshire USA
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7
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Thüs P, Lunau K, Wester P. Associative colour learning and discrimination in the South African Cape rock sengi Elephantulus edwardii (Macroscelidea, Afrotheria, Mammalia). MAMMALIA 2022. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2022-0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Beside insects, sengis also consume plant material such as leaves, fruits, seeds and floral nectar. It is known that they use olfaction for foraging, but little is known about their vision and visual learning capabilities. Colour vision has been tested in two species, showing that they are likely dichromats (green- and blue-sensitive retinal cone-photoreceptors, meaning red-green colour blind). Our aim was to examine the learning and colour discrimination abilities of another species, Elephantulus edwardii. Using training procedures and choice experiments, we tested the hypotheses that the animals can associate a reward with trained colours and that they can discriminate between different colour hues. The sengis preferred the trained colours over the others, indicating associative learning. They could discriminate between all tested colours (blue, red, green, yellow). The sengis’ colour choice behaviour indicates that the animals can use also colour features to find food plant material. Additionally, learning abilities most likely are essential for the sengis’ foraging activities, for instance by associating floral or fruit shape, colour or scent with nectar or ripe fruit, to increase the efficiency to locate food sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Thüs
- Institute of Sensory Ecology , Heinrich-Heine-University , Düsseldorf , Germany
| | - Klaus Lunau
- Institute of Sensory Ecology , Heinrich-Heine-University , Düsseldorf , Germany
| | - Petra Wester
- Institute of Sensory Ecology , Heinrich-Heine-University , Düsseldorf , Germany
- School of Life Sciences , University of KwaZulu-Natal , PB X01 , Pietermaritzburg 3209 , South Africa
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8
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Techniques for documenting and quantifying biofluorescence through digital photography and color quantization. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpap.2022.100149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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9
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Osik NA, Zelentsova EA, Sharshov KA, Tsentalovich YP. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide reduced (NADH) is a natural UV filter of certain bird lens. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16850. [PMID: 36207404 PMCID: PMC9546832 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21139-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work, we for the first time report the identification of UV filters in the bird eye lens. We found that lenses of some raptors (black kite, common buzzard) and waterfowl (birds from Podicipedidae family) contain unusually high levels of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)—a compound with high absorption in the UV-A range with a maximum at 340 nm. The lens metabolome of these birds also features an extremely low [NAD +]/[NADH] ratio. Chemometric analysis demonstrates that the differences between the metabolomic compositions of lenses with low and high NADH abundances should be attributed to the taxonomic features of bird species rather to the influence of the low [NAD +]/[NADH] ratio. We attributed this observation to the low metabolic activity in lens fiber cells, which make up the bulk of the lens tissue. Photochemical measurements show that properties of NADH as a UV filter are as good as that of UV filters in the human lens, including strong absorption in the UV-A spectral region, high photostability under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, low yields of triplet state, fluorescence, and radicals under irradiation. Lenticular UV filters protect the retina and the lens from photo-induced damages and improve the visual acuity by reducing chromatic aberrations; therefore, the results obtained contribute to our understanding of the extremely high acuity of the raptor vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataliya A Osik
- International Tomography Center SB RAS, Institutskaya 3a, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | | | - Kirill A Sharshov
- Federal Research Center of Fundamental and Translational Medicine, Timakova 2, Novosibirsk, 630117, Russia
| | - Yuri P Tsentalovich
- International Tomography Center SB RAS, Institutskaya 3a, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia.
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10
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Dominy NJ, Harris JM. Adaptive optics in the Arctic? A commentary on Fosbury and Jeffery. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221528. [PMID: 36126682 PMCID: PMC9489282 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel J Dominy
- Departments of Anthropology and Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, 6047 Silsby Hall, Hanover, NH 03755-3537, USA.,Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz, Box 216, Konstanz 78457, Germany
| | - Julie M Harris
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, South Street, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, UK
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11
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Giannikaki S, Douglas RH. Spectral transmittance of animal intraocular lenses in comparison with the spectral properties of their biological lenses. Vet Ophthalmol 2022; 25:510-514. [PMID: 35909253 DOI: 10.1111/vop.13014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine the spectral transmittance of artificial intraocular lenses (IOLs) designed for various species (dog, cat, chinchilla, eagle, tiger) and compare them to the spectral properties of the biological lenses of these species. METHODS Twenty-seven IOLs were scanned with a spectrophotometer fitted with an integrating sphere. RESULTS All IOLs transmitted long wavelengths well before cutting off sharply at short wavelengths, with insignificant transmission below ca. 340 nm. In comparison with the IOLs, the biological lenses of the cat, dog, and probably the chinchilla transmitted significantly more short wavelengths. The spectral properties of the biological lenses of eagles and tigers, while uncertain, may be a closer match to the IOLs made for these species. CONCLUSION It is not known if there are any visual or behavioral consequences for animals caused by a mismatch between the spectral properties of their biological lenses and IOLs. However, following IOL implantation there might be a change in the perceived hue of objects due to the removal of UV wavelengths which form a normal part of the visible spectrum for these species and/or a decrease in sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ronald H Douglas
- Division of Optometry and Visual Science, City, University of London, London, UK
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12
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Murphy MJ, Westerman EL. Evolutionary history limits species' ability to match colour sensitivity to available habitat light. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220612. [PMID: 35582803 PMCID: PMC9115023 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The spectrum of light that an animal sees-from ultraviolet to far red light-is governed by the number and wavelength sensitivity of a family of retinal proteins called opsins. It has been hypothesized that the spectrum of light available in an environment influences the range of colours that a species has evolved to see. However, invertebrates and vertebrates use phylogenetically distinct opsins in their retinae, and it remains unclear whether these distinct opsins influence what animals see, or how they adapt to their light environments. Systematically using published visual sensitivity data from across animal phyla, we found that terrestrial animals are more sensitive to shorter and longer wavelengths of light than aquatic animals and that invertebrates are more sensitive to shorter wavelengths of light than vertebrates. Using phylogenetically controlled analyses, we found that closed and open canopy habitat species have different spectral sensitivities when comparing across the Metazoa and excluding habitat generalists, while deepwater animals are no more sensitive to shorter wavelengths of light than shallow-water animals. Our results suggest that animals do adapt to their light environment; however, the invertebrate-vertebrate evolutionary divergence may limit the degree to which animals can perform visual tuning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Murphy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Erica L. Westerman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
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13
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Thomas KN, Gower DJ, Streicher JW, Bell RC, Fujita MK, Schott RK, Liedtke HC, Haddad CFB, Becker CG, Cox CL, Martins RA, Douglas RH. Ecology drives patterns of spectral transmission in the ocular lenses of frogs and salamanders. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kate N. Thomas
- Department of Life Sciences The Natural History Museum London UK
| | - David J. Gower
- Department of Life Sciences The Natural History Museum London UK
| | | | - Rayna C. Bell
- Department of Herpetology California Academy of Sciences San Francisco CA USA
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Washington DC USA
| | - Matthew K. Fujita
- Department of Biology Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington TX USA
| | - Ryan K. Schott
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Washington DC USA
- Department of Biology York University Toronto ON Canada
| | - H. Christoph Liedtke
- Ecology, Evolution and Development Group, Department of Wetland Ecology Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC) Sevilla Spain
| | - Célio F. B. Haddad
- Departamento de Biodiversidade and Centro de Aquicultura (CAUNESP) I.B. Universidade Estadual Paulista Rio Claro Brazil
| | - C. Guilherme Becker
- Department of Biology The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA USA
| | - Christian L. Cox
- Department of Biological Sciences Institute for the Environment Florida International University Miami FL USA
| | - Renato A. Martins
- Programa de Pós‐graduação em Conservação da Fauna Universidade Federal de São Carlos São Carlos Brazil
| | - Ron H. Douglas
- Division of Optometry & Visual Science, School of Health Sciences City, University of London London UK
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Newham E, Gill PG, Corfe IJ. New tools suggest a middle Jurassic origin for mammalian endothermy: Advances in state-of-the-art techniques uncover new insights on the evolutionary patterns of mammalian endothermy through time: Advances in state-of-the-art techniques uncover new insights on the evolutionary patterns of mammalian endothermy through time. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2100060. [PMID: 35170781 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
We suggest that mammalian endothermy was established amongst Middle Jurassic crown mammals, through reviewing state-of-the-art fossil and living mammal studies. This is considerably later than the prevailing paradigm, and has important ramifications for the causes, pattern, and pace of physiological evolution amongst synapsids. Most hypotheses argue that selection for either enhanced aerobic activity, or thermoregulation was the primary driver for synapsid physiological evolution, based on a range of fossil characters that have been linked to endothermy. We argue that, rather than either alternative being the primary selective force for the entirety of endothermic evolution, these characters evolved quite independently through time, and across the mammal family tree, principally as a response to shifting environmental pressures and ecological opportunities. Our interpretations can be tested using closely linked proxies for both factors, derived from study of fossils of a range of Jurassic and Cretaceous mammaliaforms and early mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elis Newham
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.,Department of Palaeontology, Institute for Geosciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Pamela G Gill
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Earth Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Ian J Corfe
- Jernvall Laboratory, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo, Finland
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15
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Olsson P, Lind O, Mitkus M, Delhey K, Kelber A. Lens and cornea limit UV vision of birds - a phylogenetic perspective. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb243129. [PMID: 34581400 PMCID: PMC8601714 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Most vertebrates have UV-sensitive vision, but the UV sensitivity of their eyes is limited by the transmittance of the ocular media, and the specific contribution of the different media (cornea, lens) has remained unclear. Here, we describe the transmittance of all ocular media (OMT), as well as that of lenses and corneas of birds. For 66 species belonging to 18 orders, the wavelength at which 50% of light is transmitted through the ocular media to the retina (λT0.5) ranges from 310 to 398 nm. Low λT0.5 corresponds to more UV light transmitted. Corneal λT0.5 varies only between 300 and 345 nm, whereas lens λT0.5 values are more variable (between 315 and 400 nm) and tend to be the limiting factor, determining OMT in the majority of species. OMT λT0.5 is positively correlated with eye size, but λT0.5 of corneas and lenses are not correlated with their thickness when controlled for phylogeny. Corneal and lens transmittances do not differ between birds with UV- and violet-sensitive SWS1 opsin when controlling for eye size and phylogeny. Phylogenetic relatedness is a strong predictor of OMT, and ancestral state reconstructions suggest that from ancestral intermediate OMT, highly UV-transparent ocular media (low λT0.5) evolved at least five times in our sample of birds. Some birds have evolved in the opposite direction towards a more UV-opaque lens, possibly owing to pigmentation, likely to mitigate UV damage or reduce chromatic aberration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Olsson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, 22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Olle Lind
- Department of Biology, Lund University, 22362 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Philosophy, Lund University, 22100 Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Kaspar Delhey
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315 Seewiesen, Germany
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, 3800 Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Almut Kelber
- Department of Biology, Lund University, 22362 Lund, Sweden
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16
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Alaasam VJ, Kernbach ME, Miller CR, Ferguson SM. The diversity of photosensitivity and its implications for light pollution. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1170-1181. [PMID: 34232263 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a pervasive anthropogenic pollutant, emanating from urban and suburban developments and reaching nearly all ecosystems from dense forests to coastlines. One proposed strategy for attenuating the consequences of ALAN is to modify its spectral composition to forms that are less disruptive for photosensory systems. However, ALAN is a complicated pollutant to manage due to the extensive variation in photosensory mechanisms and the diverse ways these mechanisms manifest in biological and ecological contexts. Here, we highlight the diversity in photosensitivity across taxa and the implications of this diversity in predicting biological responses to different forms of night lighting. We curated this paper to be broadly accessible and inform current decisions about the spectrum of electric lights used outdoors. We advocate that efforts to mitigate light pollution should consider the unique ways species perceive ALAN, as well as how diverse responses to ALAN scale up to produce diverse ecological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina J Alaasam
- Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Program, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV.,Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV
| | | | - Colleen R Miller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
| | - Stephen M Ferguson
- Department of Biology, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH.,Division of Natural Sciences, St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI
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17
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Pinzon-Rodriguez A, Muheim R. Cryptochrome expression in avian UV cones: revisiting the role of CRY1 as magnetoreceptor. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12683. [PMID: 34135416 PMCID: PMC8209128 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92056-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptochromes (CRY) have been proposed as putative magnetoreceptors in vertebrates. Localisation of CRY1 in the UV cones in the retinas of birds suggested that it could be the candidate magnetoreceptor. However, recent findings argue against this possibility. CRY1 is a type II cryptochrome, a subtype of cryptochromes that may not be inherently photosensitive, and it exhibits a clear circadian expression in the retinas of birds. Here, we reassessed the localisation and distribution of CRY1 in the retina of the zebra finch. Zebra finches have a light-dependent magnetic compass based on a radical-pair mechanism, similar to migratory birds. We found that CRY1 colocalised with the UV/V opsin (SWS1) in the outer segments of UV cones, but restricted to the tip of the segments. CRY1 was found in all UV cones across the entire retina, with the highest densities near the fovea. Pre-exposure of birds to different wavelengths of light did not result in any difference in CRY1 detection, suggesting that CRY1 did not undergo any detectable functional changes as result of light activation. Considering that CRY1 is likely not involved in magnetoreception, our findings open the possibility for an involvement in different, yet undetermined functions in the avian UV/V cones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atticus Pinzon-Rodriguez
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Department of Biology, Lund University, Biology Building B, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Rachel Muheim
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Department of Biology, Lund University, Biology Building B, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
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18
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Retinal hyperspectral imaging in the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6387. [PMID: 33737550 PMCID: PMC7973540 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85554-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperspectral imaging of the retina has recently been posited as a potentially useful form of spectroscopy of amyloid-beta (Aβ) protein in the eyes of those with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The concept of using the retina as a biomarker for AD is an attractive one, as current screening tools for AD are either expensive or inaccessible. Recent studies have investigated hyperspectral imaging in Aβ models however these studies have been in younger mice. Here we characterised hyperspectral reflectance profile in 6 to 17 months old 5xFAD mice and compare this to Aβ in isolated preparations. Hyperspectral imaging was conducted across two preparations of Aβ using a custom built bench ophthalmoscope. In the in vitro condition, 1 mg of purified human Aβ42 was solubilised and left to aggregate for 72 h. This soluble/insoluble Aβ mixture was then imaged by suspending the solution at a pipette tip and compared against phosphate buffered saline (PBS) control (n = 10 ROIs / group). In the in vivo condition, a 5xFAD transgenic mouse model was used and retinae were imaged at the age of 6 (n = 9), 12 (n = 9) and 17 months (n = 8) with age matched wildtype littermates as control (n = 12, n = 13, n = 15 respectively). In the vitro condition, hyperspectral imaging of the solution showed greater reflectance compared with vehicle (p < 0.01), with the greatest differences occurring in the short visible spectrum (< 500 nm). In the in vivo preparation, 5xFAD showed greater hyperspectral reflectance at all ages (6, 12, 17 months, p < 0.01). These differences were noted most in the short wavelengths at younger ages, with an additional peak appearing at longer wavelengths (~ 550 nm) with advancing age. This study shows that the presence of Aβ (soluble/insoluble mixture) can increase the hyperspectral reflectance profile in vitro as well as in vivo. Differences were evident in the short wavelength spectrum (< 500 nm) in vitro and were preserved when imaged through the ocular media in the in vivo conditions. With advancing age a second hump around ~ 550 nm became more apparent. Hyperspectral imaging of the retina does not require the use of contrast agents and is a potentially useful and non-invasive biomarker for AD.
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19
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Tedore C, Nilsson DE. Ultraviolet vision aids the detection of nutrient-dense non-signaling plant foods. Vision Res 2021; 183:16-29. [PMID: 33639304 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2021.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
To expand our understanding of what tasks are particularly helped by UV vision and may justify the costs of focusing high-energy light onto the retina, we used an avian-vision multispectral camera to image diverse vegetated habitats in search of UV contrasts that differ markedly from visible-light contrasts. One UV contrast that stood out as very different from visible-light contrasts was that of nutrient-dense non-signaling plant foods (such as young leaves and immature fruits) against their natural backgrounds. From our images, we calculated color contrasts between 62+ species of such foods and mature foliage for the two predominant color vision systems of birds, UVS and VS. We also computationally generated images of what a generalized tetrachromat, unfiltered by oil droplets, would see, by developing a new methodology that uses constrained linear least squares to solve for optimal weighted combinations of avian camera filters to mimic new spectral sensitivities. In all visual systems, we found that nutrient-dense non-signaling plant foods presented a lower, often negative figure-ground contrast in the UV channels, and a higher, often positive figure-ground contrast in the visible channels. Although a zero contrast may sound unhelpful, it can actually enhance color contrast when compared in a color opponent system to other channels with nonzero contrasts. Here, low or negative UV contrasts markedly enhanced color contrasts. We propose that plants may struggle to evolve better UV crypsis since UV reflectance from vegetation is largely specular and thus highly dependent on object orientation, shape, and texture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Tedore
- Lund Vision Group, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62 Lund, Sweden.
| | - Dan-Eric Nilsson
- Lund Vision Group, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
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20
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Vivid biofluorescence discovered in the nocturnal Springhare (Pedetidae). Sci Rep 2021; 11:4125. [PMID: 33603032 PMCID: PMC7892538 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83588-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofluorescence has been detected in several nocturnal-crepuscular organisms from invertebrates to birds and mammals. Biofluorescence in mammals has been detected across the phylogeny, including the monotreme duck-billed platypus (Ornithorhyncus anatinus), marsupial opossums (Didelphidae), and New World placental flying squirrels (Gluacomys spp.). Here, we document vivid biofluorescence of springhare (Pedetidae) in both museum specimens and captive individuals—the first documented biofluorescence of an Old World placental mammal. We explore the variation in biofluorescence across our sample and characterize its physical and chemical properties. The striking visual patterning and intensity of color shift was unique relative to biofluorescence found in other mammals. We establish that biofluorescence in springhare likely originates within the cuticle of the hair fiber and emanates, at least partially, from several fluorescent porphyrins and potentially one unassigned molecule absent from our standard porphyrin mixture. This discovery further supports the hypothesis that biofluorescence may be ecologically important for nocturnal-crepuscular mammals and suggests that it may be more broadly distributed throughout Mammalia than previously thought.
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21
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Sadier A, Urban DJ, Anthwal N, Howenstine AO, Sinha I, Sears KE. Making a bat: The developmental basis of bat evolution. Genet Mol Biol 2021; 43:e20190146. [PMID: 33576369 PMCID: PMC7879332 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2019-0146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are incredibly diverse, both morphologically and taxonomically. Bats are the only mammalian group to have achieved powered flight, an adaptation that is hypothesized to have allowed them to colonize various and diverse ecological niches. However, the lack of fossils capturing the transition from terrestrial mammal to volant chiropteran has obscured much of our understanding of bat evolution. Over the last 20 years, the emergence of evo-devo in non-model species has started to fill this gap by uncovering some developmental mechanisms at the origin of bat diversification. In this review, we highlight key aspects of studies that have used bats as a model for morphological adaptations, diversification during adaptive radiations, and morphological novelty. To do so, we review current and ongoing studies on bat evolution. We first investigate morphological specialization by reviewing current knowledge about wing and face evolution. Then, we explore the mechanisms behind adaptive diversification in various ecological contexts using vision and dentition. Finally, we highlight the emerging work into morphological novelties using bat wing membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa Sadier
- University of California at Los Angeles, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Daniel J Urban
- University of California at Los Angeles, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Los Angeles, USA.,American Museum of Natural History, Department of Mammalogy, New York, USA
| | - Neal Anthwal
- University of California at Los Angeles, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Aidan O Howenstine
- University of California at Los Angeles, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Ishani Sinha
- University of California at Los Angeles, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Karen E Sears
- University of California at Los Angeles, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Los Angeles, USA
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22
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Buch J, Hammond B. Photobiomodulation of the Visual System and Human Health. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218020. [PMID: 33126530 PMCID: PMC7662260 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans express an expansive and detailed response to wavelength differences within the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum. This is most clearly manifest, and most studied, with respect to a relatively small range of electromagnetic radiation that includes the visible wavelengths with abutting ultraviolet and infrared, and mostly with respect to the visual system. Many aspects of our biology, however, respond to wavelength differences over a wide range of the EM spectrum. Further, humans are now exposed to a variety of modern lighting situations that has, effectively, increased our exposure to wavelengths that were once likely minimal (e.g., “blue” light from devices at night). This paper reviews some of those biological effects with a focus on visual function and to a lesser extent, other body systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Buch
- Johnson & Johnson Vision, Research & Development, Jacksonville, FL 32256, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-904-443-1707
| | - Billy Hammond
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
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23
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Dominy NJ, Melin AD. Liminal Light and Primate Evolution. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANTHROPOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anthro-010220-075454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The adaptive origins of primates and anthropoid primates are topics of enduring interest to biological anthropologists. A convention in these discussions is to treat the light environment as binary—night is dark, day is light—and to impute corresponding selective pressure on the visual systems and behaviors of primates. In consequence, debate has tended to focus on whether a given trait can be interpreted as evidence of nocturnal or diurnal behavior in the primate fossil record. Such classification elides the variability in light, or the ways that primates internalize light in their environments. Here, we explore the liminality of light by focusing on what it is, its many sources, and its flux under natural conditions. We conclude by focusing on the intensity and spectral properties of twilight, and we review the mounting evidence of its importance as a cue that determines the onset or offset of primate activities as well as the entrainment of circadian rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel J. Dominy
- Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA
| | - Amanda D. Melin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
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24
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Anich PS, Anthony S, Carlson M, Gunnelson A, Kohler AM, Martin JG, Olson ER. Biofluorescence in the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). MAMMALIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2020-0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The occurrence of biofluorescence across Mammalia is an area of active study. We examined three specimens of the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) from Tasmania and New South Wales, Australia, housed in the Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago, Illinois, USA) and the University of Nebraska State Museum (Lincoln, Nebraska, USA) under visible light and ultraviolet (UV) light. The pelage of the animals appeared uniformly brown under visible light and green or cyan under UV light, due to fluoresced wavelengths that peaked around 500 nm. Our observations are the first report of biofluorescence in a monotreme mammal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Spaeth Anich
- Departments of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources , Northland College , 1411 Ellis Avenue , Ashland , WI 54806, USA
| | - Sharon Anthony
- Departments of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources , Northland College , 1411 Ellis Avenue , Ashland , WI 54806, USA
| | - Michaela Carlson
- Departments of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources , Northland College , 1411 Ellis Avenue , Ashland , WI 54806, USA
| | - Adam Gunnelson
- Departments of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources , Northland College , 1411 Ellis Avenue , Ashland , WI 54806, USA
| | - Allison M. Kohler
- Warner College of Natural Resources , Colorado State University , Fort Collins , CO , 80523, USA
| | - Jonathan G. Martin
- Departments of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources , Northland College , 1411 Ellis Avenue , Ashland , WI 54806, USA
| | - Erik R. Olson
- Departments of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources , Northland College , 1411 Ellis Avenue , Ashland , WI 54806, USA
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25
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Mantovani V, Hauzman E, Corredor VH, Goulart PRK, Galvão O, Talebi M, Pessoa DMA, Soares JGM, Fiorani M, Gattass R, Fix Ventura D, Bonci DMO. Genetic variability of the sws1 cone opsin gene among New World monkeys. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23199. [PMID: 32990997 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Vision is a major sense for Primates and the ability to perceive colors has great importance for the species ecology and behavior. Visual processing begins with the activation of the visual opsins in the retina, and the spectral absorption peaks are highly variable among species. In most Primates, LWS/MWS opsins are responsible for sensitivity to long/middle wavelengths within the visible light spectrum, and SWS1 opsins provide sensitivity to short wavelengths, in the violet region of the spectrum. In this study, we aimed to investigate the genetic variation on the sws1 opsin gene of New World monkeys (NWM) and search for amino acid substitutions that might be associated with the different color vision phenotypes described for a few species. We sequenced the exon 1 of the sws1 opsin gene of seven species from the families Callitrichidae, Cebidae, and Atelidae, and searched for variation at the spectral tuning sites 46, 49, 52, 86, 90, 93, 114, 116, and 118. Among the known spectral tuning sites, only residue 114 was variable. To investigate whether other residues have a functional role in the SWS1 absorption peak, we performed computational modeling of wild-type SWS1 and mutants A50I and A50V, found naturally among the species investigated. Although in silico analysis did not show any visible effect caused by these substitutions, it is possible that interactions of residue 50 with other sites might have some effect in the spectral shifts in the order of ~14 nm, found among the NWM. We also performed phylogenetic reconstruction of the sws1 gene, which partially recovered the species phylogeny. Further studies will be important to uncover the mutations responsible for the phenotypic variability of the SWS1 of NWM, and how spectral tuning may be associated with specific ecological features such as preferred food items and habitat use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviani Mantovani
- Departamento de Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Einat Hauzman
- Departamento de Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vitor H Corredor
- Departamento de Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo R K Goulart
- Núcleo de Teoria de Pesquisa do Comportamento, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Olavo Galvão
- Núcleo de Teoria de Pesquisa do Comportamento, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Mauricio Talebi
- Departamento de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Campus Diadema, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel M A Pessoa
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Comportamento, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Juliana G M Soares
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mario Fiorani
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Gattass
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Dora Fix Ventura
- Departamento de Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniela M O Bonci
- Departamento de Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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26
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Meer AMVD, Berger T, Müller F, Foldenauer AC, Johnen S, Walter P. Establishment and Characterization of a Unilateral UV-Induced Photoreceptor Degeneration Model in the C57Bl/6J Mouse. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2020; 9:21. [PMID: 32879777 PMCID: PMC7443125 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.9.9.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To investigate whether UV irradiation of the mouse eye can induce photoreceptor degeneration, producing a phenotype reminiscent of the rd10 mouse, left eyes of female C57Bl/6J mice were irradiated with a UV LED array (370 nm). A lens was placed between the cornea and LED, allowing illumination of about one-third of the retina. The short-term and long-term effects on the retina were evaluated. Methods First, a dose escalation study, in which corneal dosages between 2.8 and 9.3 J/cm2 were tested, was performed. A dosage of 7.5 J/cm2 was chosen for the following characterization study. Before and after irradiation slit-lamp examinations, full-field electroretinography, spectral domain optical coherence tomography and macroscopy were performed. After different time spans (5 days to 12 weeks) the animals were sacrificed and the retinae used for immunohistochemistry or multielectrode array testing. Right eyes served as untreated controls. Results In treated eyes, spectral domain optical coherence tomography revealed a decrease in retinal thickness to 53%. Full-field electroretinography responses decreased significantly from day 5 on in treated eyes. Multielectrode array recordings revealed oscillatory potentials with a mean frequency of 5.2 ± 0.6 Hz in the illuminated area. Structural changes in the retina were observed in immunohistochemical staining. Conclusions UV irradiation proved to be efficient in inducing photoreceptor degeneration in the mouse retina, while leaving the other retinal layers largely intact. The irradiated area of treated eyes can be identified easily in spectral domain optical coherence tomography and in explanted retinae. Translational Relevance This study provides information on anatomic and functional changes in UV-treated retina, enabling the use of this model for retinitis pigmentosa-like diseases in animals suited for experimental retinal surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tanja Berger
- Department of Medical Statistics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Frank Müller
- Institute of Complex Systems, Cellular Biophysics, ICS-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Ann Christina Foldenauer
- Department of Medical Statistics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,Department of Clinical Research Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME) Branch for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (TMP), Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sandra Johnen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Peter Walter
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
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27
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Allen AE, Mouland JW, Rodgers J, Baño-Otálora B, Douglas RH, Jeffery G, Vugler AA, Brown TM, Lucas RJ. Spectral sensitivity of cone vision in the diurnal murid Rhabdomys pumilio. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb215368. [PMID: 32371443 PMCID: PMC7272338 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.215368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
An animal's temporal niche - the time of day at which it is active - is known to drive a variety of adaptations in the visual system. These include variations in the topography, spectral sensitivity and density of retinal photoreceptors, and changes in the eye's gross anatomy and spectral transmission characteristics. We have characterised visual spectral sensitivity in the murid rodent Rhabdomys pumilio (the four-striped grass mouse), which is in the same family as (nocturnal) mice and rats but exhibits a strong diurnal niche. As is common in diurnal species, the R. pumilio lens acts as a long-pass spectral filter, providing limited transmission of light <400 nm. Conversely, we found strong sequence homologies with the R. pumilio SWS and MWS opsins and those of related nocturnal species (mice and rats) whose SWS opsins are maximally sensitive in the near-UV. We continued to assess in vivo spectral sensitivity of cone vision using electroretinography and multi-channel recordings from the visual thalamus. These revealed that responses across the human visible range could be adequately described by those of a single pigment (assumed to be MWS opsin) maximally sensitive at ∼500 nm, but that sensitivity in the near-UV required inclusion of a second pigment whose peak sensitivity lay well into the UV range (λmax<400 nm, probably ∼360 nm). We therefore conclude that, despite the UV-filtering effects of the lens, R. pumilio retains an SWS pigment with a UV-A λmax In effect, this somewhat paradoxical combination of long-pass lens and UV-A λmax results in narrow-band sensitivity for SWS cone pathways in the UV-A range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette E Allen
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Joshua W Mouland
- Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Jessica Rodgers
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Beatriz Baño-Otálora
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Ronald H Douglas
- Department of Optometry and Visual Science, City, University of London, London, EC1V 0HB, UK
| | - Glen Jeffery
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Anthony A Vugler
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Timothy M Brown
- Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Robert J Lucas
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
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28
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Hauzman E. Adaptations and evolutionary trajectories of the snake rod and cone photoreceptors. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2020; 106:86-93. [PMID: 32359892 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2020.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Most vertebrates have duplex retinas, with two classes of photoreceptors, rods and cones. In the group of Snakes, however, distinct patterns of retinal morphology are associated with transitions between diurnal-nocturnal habits and reflect important adaptations of their visual system. Pure-cone, pure-rod and duplex retinas were described in different species, and this variability led Gordon Walls (1934) to formulate the transmutation theory, which suggests that rods and cones are not fixed entities, but can assume transitional states. Three opsin genes are expressed in retinas of most snake species, lws, rh1, and sws1, and recent studies have shown that the rhodopsin gene, rh1, is expressed in pure-cone retinas of diurnal snakes. This expression raised many questions about the nature of transmutation and functional aspects of the rhodopsin in a cone-like photoreceptor. Extreme differences in the retinal architecture of diurnal and nocturnal snakes also highlight the complexity of adaptations of their visual structures, which might have contributed to the adaptive radiation of this group and will be discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einat Hauzman
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Psychology Institute, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 1721, Bloco A - D9. Butantã, São Paulo, CEP. 05508-030, Brazil.
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29
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Weyna A, Dubielzig RR, Hennelly L. The relative importance of phylogeny and habitat in determining the presence and prominence of a granula iridica in hooved mammals. Vet Ophthalmol 2020; 23:472-479. [PMID: 32012413 DOI: 10.1111/vop.12742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the relationship between phylogeny and amount of shade in a species' habitat regarding the presence or absence of an iridal granula iridica (GI) in a large sample of Artiodactyl and Perissodactyl clades and using online resources. METHODS The Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin (COPLOW) archives were searched for glass slide material from Artiodactyl (even-toed) and Perissodactyl (odd-toed) ungulates. The slides were examined, and the presence or absence of the GI was noted. The phylogenetic tree of the ungulate species was inferred using TimeTree (http://www.timetree.org), and the habitat data are derived from Animal Diversity Web (https://animaldiversity.org/). We assessed the probability of the presence of GI occurring given the amount of shade in a species' environment using phylogenetic logistic regression. RESULTS Forty-eight artiodactyl species were able to be evaluated and tabulated. Nine perissodactyl species were able to be evaluated. The phylogenetic logistic regression showed that the probability of GI presence was lower in artiodactyl species that inhabited shaded environments (βshaded = -1.774). Arctiodacyl species inhabiting a nonshaded environment were slightly more probable to have the GI present (βnonshaded = 0.023), with species inhabitating ambiguously shaded environments having a high probability of GI presence (βambiguous = 2.214). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the GI may be a common morphological feature to shade the pupil in nonshaded environments, and, in its absence, increase the amount of light reaching the retina to improve vision in shaded environments for hooved mammals. Further research on the functional optics of the GI and studies that include additional ungulate species would further elucidate phylogenetic and ecological factors influencing the occurrence of GI in hooved mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisia Weyna
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Richard R Dubielzig
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Lauren Hennelly
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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Yovanovich CAM, Pierotti MER, Kelber A, Jorgewich-Cohen G, Ibáñez R, Grant T. Lens transmittance shapes ultraviolet sensitivity in the eyes of frogs from diverse ecological and phylogenetic backgrounds. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192253. [PMID: 31910785 PMCID: PMC7003468 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The amount of short wavelength (ultraviolet (UV), violet and blue) light that reaches the retina depends on the transmittance properties of the ocular media, especially the lens, and varies greatly across species in all vertebrate groups studied previously. We measured the lens transmittance in 32 anuran amphibians with different habits, geographical distributions and phylogenetic positions and used them together with eye size and pupil shape to evaluate the relationship with diel activity pattern, elevation and latitude. We found an unusually high lens UV transmittance in the most basal species, and a cut-off range that extends into the visible spectrum for the rest of the sample, with lenses even absorbing violet light in some diurnal species. However, other diurnal frogs had lenses that transmit UV light like the nocturnal species. This unclear pattern in the segregation of ocular media transmittance and diel activity is shared with other vertebrates and is consistent with the absence of significant correlations in our statistical analyses. Although we did not detect a significant phylogenetic effect, closely related species tend to have similar transmittances, irrespective of whether they share the same diel pattern or not, suggesting that anuran ocular media transmittance properties might be related to phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola A M Yovanovich
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Michele E R Pierotti
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | - Almut Kelber
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Roberto Ibáñez
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | - Taran Grant
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Yovanovich CAM, Pierotti MER, Rodrigues MT, Grant T. A dune with a view: the eyes of a neotropical fossorial lizard. Front Zool 2019; 16:17. [PMID: 31198433 PMCID: PMC6558795 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-019-0320-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lizards are excellent models to study the adaptations of the visual system to different scenarios, and surface-dwelling representatives have been relatively well studied. In contrast, very little is known about the functional anatomy of the eyes of fossorial lineages, and properties such as the light transmission by the ocular media have never been characterised in any fossorial species. Some lizards in the family Gymnophthalmidae endemic to the sand dunes of North Eastern Brazil have evolved sand-burrowing habits and nocturnal activity. Lizards in the sister group to Gymnophthalmidae, the family Teiidae, have decidedly diurnal and epigeal lifestyles, yet they are equally poorly known in terms of visual systems. We focussed on the eye anatomy, photoreceptor morphology and light transmittance properties of the ocular media and oil droplets in the gymnophthalmid Calyptommatus nicterus and the teiid Ameivula ocellifera. Results The general organisation of the eyes of the fossorial nocturnal C. nicterus and the epigeal diurnal A. ocellifera is remarkably similar. The lenses are highly transmissive to light well into the ultraviolet part of the spectrum. The photoreceptors have the typical cone morphology, with narrow short outer segments and oil droplets. The main difference between the two species is that C. nicterus has only colourless oil droplets, whereas A. ocellifera has colourless as well as green-yellow and pale-orange droplets. Conclusions Our results challenge the assumption that fossorial lizards undergo loss of visual function, a claim that is usually guided by the reduced size and external morphology of their eyes. In the case of C. nicterus, the visual system is well suited for vision in bright light and shows specialisations that improve sensitivity in dim light, suggesting that they might perform some visually-guided behaviour above the surface at the beginning or the end of their daily activity period, when light levels are relatively high in their open dunes habitat. This work highlights how studies on the functional anatomy of sensory systems can provide insights into the habits of secretive species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola A M Yovanovich
- 1Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Michele E R Pierotti
- 1Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,2Naos Marine Laboratories, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | | | - Taran Grant
- 1Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Mowat FM, Wise E, Oh A, Foster ML, Kremers J. In vivo electroretinographic differentiation of rod, short-wavelength and long/medium-wavelength cone responses in dogs using silent substitution stimuli. Exp Eye Res 2019; 185:107673. [PMID: 31128103 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2019.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The canine species has dichromatic color vision comprising short-wavelength (S-) and long/medium (L/M-) wavelength-sensitive cones with peak spectral sensitivity of 429-435 nm and 555 nm respectively. Although differentiation of rod- and cone-mediated responses by electroretinogram (ERG) in dogs is commonly performed, and standards have been developed based on standards for human observers, methods to differentiate S- and L/M-cone responses in dogs have not been described. We developed flicker protocols derived from previously published rod and cone spectral sensitivities. We used a double silent substitution paradigm to isolate responses from each of the 3 photoreceptor subclasses. ERG responses were measured to sine-wave modulation of photoreceptor excitation at different temporal frequencies (between 4 and 56 Hz) and mean luminance (between 3.25 and 130 cd/m2) on 6 different normal dogs (3 adult female, and 3 adult male beagles) and one female beagle dog with suspected hereditary congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB). Peak rod driven response amplitudes were achieved with low frequency (4 Hz, maximal range 4-12 Hz) and low mean luminance (3.25 cd/m2). In contrast, peak L/M-cone driven response amplitudes were achieved with high frequency (32 Hz, maximal range 28-44 Hz) and high mean luminance (32.5-130 cd/m2). Maximal S-cone driven responses were obtained with low frequency stimuli (4 Hz, maximal range 4-12 Hz) and 32.5-130 cd/m2 mean luminance. The dog with CSNB had reduced rod- and S-cone-driven responses, but normal/supernormal L/M cone-driven responses. We have developed methods to differentiate rod, S- and L/M-cone function in dogs using silent substitution methods. The influence of temporal frequency and mean luminance on the ERGs originating in each photoreceptor type can now be studied independently. Dogs and humans have similar L/M cone responses, whereas mice have significantly different L/M responses. This work will facilitate a greater understanding of canine retinal electrophysiology and will complement the study of canine models of human hereditary photoreceptor disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freya M Mowat
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
| | - Elisabeth Wise
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Annie Oh
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Melanie L Foster
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Jan Kremers
- University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
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Affiliation(s)
- I. C. Cuthill
- School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Bristol UK
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34
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Kane SA, Wang Y, Fang R, Lu Y, Dakin R. How conspicuous are peacock eyespots and other colorful feathers in the eyes of mammalian predators? PLoS One 2019; 14:e0210924. [PMID: 31017903 PMCID: PMC6481771 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorful feathers have long been assumed to be conspicuous to predators, and hence likely to incur costs due to enhanced predation risk. However, many mammals that prey on birds have dichromatic visual systems with only two types of color-sensitive visual receptors, rather than the three and four photoreceptors characteristic of humans and most birds, respectively. Here, we use a combination of multispectral imaging, reflectance spectroscopy, color vision modelling and visual texture analysis to compare the visual signals available to conspecifics and to mammalian predators from multicolored feathers from the Indian peacock (Pavo cristatus), as well as red and yellow parrot feathers. We also model the effects of distance-dependent blurring due to visual acuity. When viewed by birds against green vegetation, most of the feathers studied are estimated to have color and brightness contrasts similar to values previously found for ripe fruit. On the other hand, for dichromat mammalian predators, visual contrasts for these feathers were only weakly detectable and often below detection thresholds for typical viewing distances. We also show that for dichromat mammal vision models, the peacock's train has below-detection threshold color and brightness contrasts and visual textures that match various foliage backgrounds. These findings are consistent with many feathers of similar hue to those studied here being inconspicuous, and in some cases potentially cryptic, in the eyes of common mammalian predators of adult birds. Given that birds perform many conspicuous motions and behaviors, this study suggests that mammalian predators are more likely to use other sensory modalities (e.g., motion detection, hearing, and olfaction), rather than color vision, to detect avian prey. This suggests new directions for future behavioral studies and emphasizes the importance of understanding the influence of the sensory ecology of predators in the evolution of animal coloration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Amador Kane
- Physics & Astronomy Department, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Yuchao Wang
- Physics & Astronomy Department, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Rui Fang
- Physics & Astronomy Department, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Yabin Lu
- Physics & Astronomy Department, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Roslyn Dakin
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington DC, United States of America
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Calligaro H, Coutanson C, Najjar RP, Mazzaro N, Cooper HM, Haddjeri N, Felder-Schmittbuhl MP, Dkhissi-Benyahya O. Rods contribute to the light-induced phase shift of the retinal clock in mammals. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e2006211. [PMID: 30822304 PMCID: PMC6415865 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2006211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
While rods, cones, and intrinsically photosensitive melanopsin-containing ganglion cells (ipRGCs) all drive light entrainment of the master circadian pacemaker of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, recent studies have proposed that entrainment of the mouse retinal clock is exclusively mediated by a UV-sensitive photopigment, neuropsin (OPN5). Here, we report that the retinal circadian clock can be phase shifted by short duration and relatively low-irradiance monochromatic light in the visible part of the spectrum, up to 520 nm. Phase shifts exhibit a classical photon dose-response curve. Comparing the response of mouse models that specifically lack middle-wavelength (MW) cones, melanopsin, and/or rods, we found that only the absence of rods prevented light-induced phase shifts of the retinal clock, whereas light-induced phase shifts of locomotor activity are normal. In a “rod-only” mouse model, phase shifting response of the retinal clock to light is conserved. At shorter UV wavelengths, our results also reveal additional recruitment of short-wavelength (SW) cones and/or OPN5. These findings suggest a primary role of rod photoreceptors in the light response of the retinal clock in mammals. The mammalian retina contains a circadian clock that plays a crucial role in adapting retinal physiology and visual function to light/dark changes. In addition, the retina coordinates rhythmic behavior and physiology by providing visual input to the master hypothalamic clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus through a network of retinal photoreceptor cells involving rods, cones, and intrinsically photosensitive melanopsin-containing ganglion cells (ipRGCs). In contrast, recent studies argue that none of these photoreceptors are involved in light responses of the retinal clock and propose that photoresponses are exclusively mediated by the UV-sensitive photopigment neuropsin (OPN5). Our study demonstrates that rods are required to phase shift the retinal clock, while melanopsin and middle-wavelength (MW) cones influence the intrinsic period of the clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Calligaro
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, Bron, France
| | - Christine Coutanson
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, Bron, France
| | - Raymond P. Najjar
- Visual Neurosciences Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Nadia Mazzaro
- CNRS UPR3212, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Howard M. Cooper
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, Bron, France
| | - Nasser Haddjeri
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, Bron, France
| | | | - Ouria Dkhissi-Benyahya
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, Bron, France
- * E-mail:
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Tedore C, Nilsson DE. Avian UV vision enhances leaf surface contrasts in forest environments. Nat Commun 2019; 10:238. [PMID: 30670700 PMCID: PMC6342963 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08142-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
UV vision is prevalent, but we know little about its utility in common general tasks, as in resolving habitat structure. Here we visualize vegetated habitats using a multispectral camera with channels mimicking bird photoreceptor sensitivities across the UV-visible spectrum. We find that the contrast between upper and lower leaf surfaces is higher in a UV channel than in any visible channel, and that this makes leaf position and orientation stand out clearly. This was unexpected since both leaf surfaces reflect similarly small proportions (1–2%) of incident UV light. The strong UV-contrast can be explained by downwelling light being brighter than upwelling, and leaves transmitting < 0.06% of incident UV light. We also find that mirror-like specular reflections of the sky and overlying canopy, from the waxy leaf cuticle, often dwarf diffuse reflections. Specular reflections shift leaf color, such that maximum leaf-contrast is seen at short UV wavelengths under open canopies, and at long UV wavelengths under closed canopies. The utility of UV vision for visualizing habitat structure is poorly known. Here, the authors use optical models and multispectral imaging to show that UV vision reveals sharp visual contrasts between leaf surfaces, potentially an advantage in navigating forest environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Tedore
- Lund Vision Group, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, Lund, 223 62, Sweden. .,Zoological Institute, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, Hamburg, 20146, Germany.
| | - Dan-Eric Nilsson
- Lund Vision Group, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, Lund, 223 62, Sweden
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What do dogs (Canis familiaris) see? A review of vision in dogs and implications for cognition research. Psychon Bull Rev 2019; 25:1798-1813. [PMID: 29143248 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-017-1404-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Over the last 20 years, a large amount of research has been conducted in an attempt to uncover the cognitive abilities of the domestic dog. While substantial advancements have been made, progress has been impeded by the fact that little is known about how dogs visually perceive their external environment. It is imperative that future research determines more precisely canine visual processing capabilities, particularly considering the increasing number of studies assessing cognition via paradigms requiring vision. This review discusses current research on visual cognition and emphasizes the importance of understanding dog visual processing. We review several areas of vision research in domestic dogs, such as sensitivity to light, visual perspective, visual acuity, form perception, and color vision, with a focus on how these abilities may affect performance in cognition tasks. Additionally, we consider the immense diversity seen in dog morphology and explore ways in which these physical differences, particularly in facial morphology, may result in, or perhaps even be caused by, different visual processing capacities in dogs. Finally, we suggest future directions for research in dog vision and cognition.
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Yovanovich CAM, Grant T, Kelber A. Differences in ocular media transmittance among classical frog model species and its impact on visual sensitivity. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.204271. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.204271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The transmittance properties of the cornea, lens and humours of vertebrates determine how much light across the visible spectrum reaches the retina, influencing sensitivity to visual stimuli. Amphibians are the only vertebrate class in which the light transmittance of these ocular media have not been thoroughly characterised, preventing large-scale comparative studies and precise quantification of visual stimuli in physiological and behavioural experiments. We measured the ocular media transmittance in some commonly used species of amphibians (the bufonids Bufo bufo and Rhinella ornata and the ranids Lithobates catesbeianus and Rana temporaria) and found low transmittance of short wavelength light, with ranids having less transmissive ocular media than bufonids. Our analyses also show that these transmittance properties have a considerable impact on photoreceptor spectral sensitivity, highlighting the need to incorporate this type of measurements into the design of stimuli for experiments on visual function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola A. M. Yovanovich
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, Rua do Matão 101, SP 05508-090, Brazil
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, Lund 22362, Sweden
| | - Taran Grant
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, Rua do Matão 101, SP 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Almut Kelber
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, Lund 22362, Sweden
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Simões BF, Foley NM, Hughes GM, Zhao H, Zhang S, Rossiter SJ, Teeling EC. As Blind as a Bat? Opsin Phylogenetics Illuminates the Evolution of Color Vision in Bats. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 36:54-68. [PMID: 30476197 PMCID: PMC6340466 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msy192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Through their unique use of sophisticated laryngeal echolocation bats are considered sensory specialists amongst mammals and represent an excellent model in which to explore sensory perception. Although several studies have shown that the evolution of vision is linked to ecological niche adaptation in other mammalian lineages, this has not yet been fully explored in bats. Recent molecular analysis of the opsin genes, which encode the photosensitive pigments underpinning color vision, have implicated high-duty cycle (HDC) echolocation and the adoption of cave roosting habits in the degeneration of color vision in bats. However, insufficient sampling of relevant taxa has hindered definitive testing of these hypotheses. To address this, novel sequence data was generated for the SWS1 and MWS/LWS opsin genes and combined with existing data to comprehensively sample species representing diverse echolocation types and niches (SWS1 n = 115; MWS/LWS n = 45). A combination of phylogenetic analysis, ancestral state reconstruction, and selective pressure analyses were used to reconstruct the evolution of these visual pigments in bats and revealed that although both genes are evolving under purifying selection in bats, MWS/LWS is highly conserved but SWS1 is highly variable. Spectral tuning analyses revealed that MWS/LWS opsin is tuned to a long wavelength, 555-560 nm in the bat ancestor and the majority of extant taxa. The presence of UV vision in bats is supported by our spectral tuning analysis, but phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the SWS1 opsin gene has undergone pseudogenization in several lineages. We do not find support for a link between the evolution of HDC echolocation and the pseudogenization of the SWS1 gene in bats, instead we show the SWS1 opsin is functional in the HDC echolocator, Pteronotus parnellii. Pseudogenization of the SWS1 is correlated with cave roosting habits in the majority of pteropodid species. Together these results demonstrate that the loss of UV vision in bats is more widespread than was previously considered and further elucidate the role of ecological niche specialization in the evolution of vision in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno F Simões
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
- School of Earth Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- School of Biological Science, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Nicole M Foley
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Graham M Hughes
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Huabin Zhao
- Department of Ecology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Shuyi Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emma C Teeling
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
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Stoddard MC, Miller AE, Eyster HN, Akkaynak D. I see your false colours: how artificial stimuli appear to different animal viewers. Interface Focus 2018; 9:20180053. [PMID: 30603072 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2018.0053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of artificially coloured stimuli, especially to test hypotheses about sexual selection and anti-predator defence, has been common in behavioural ecology since the pioneering work of Tinbergen. To investigate the effects of colour on animal behaviour, many researchers use paints, markers and dyes to modify existing colours or to add colour to synthetic models. Because colour perception varies widely across species, it is critical to account for the signal receiver's vision when performing colour manipulations. To explore this, we applied 26 typical coloration products to different types of avian feathers. Next, we measured the artificially coloured feathers using two complementary techniques-spectrophotometry and digital ultraviolet--visible photography-and modelled their appearance to mammalian dichromats (ferret, dog), trichromats (honeybee, human) and avian tetrachromats (hummingbird, blue tit). Overall, artificial colours can have dramatic and sometimes unexpected effects on the reflectance properties of feathers, often differing based on feather type. The degree to which an artificial colour differs from the original colour greatly depends on an animal's visual system. 'White' paint to a human is not 'white' to a honeybee or blue tit. Based on our analysis, we offer practical guidelines for reducing the risk of introducing unintended effects when using artificial colours in behavioural experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Caswell Stoddard
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Audrey E Miller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Harold N Eyster
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4
| | - Derya Akkaynak
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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41
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Malkemper EP, Peichl L. Retinal photoreceptor and ganglion cell types and topographies in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes
) and Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus
). J Comp Neurol 2018; 526:2078-2098. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Erich Pascal Malkemper
- Department of General Zoology; Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen; Essen Germany
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences; Czech University of Life Sciences; Praha 6 Czech Republic
| | - Leo Peichl
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research; Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie, Goethe University Frankfurt; Frankfurt am Main Germany
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Hammond BR, Renzi-Hammond L. Individual variation in the transmission of UVB radiation in the young adult eye. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199940. [PMID: 30001366 PMCID: PMC6042695 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Data obtained mostly from animal models and ex vivo samples show that a small portion of ultraviolet light (UV, 300–400 nm) penetrates the cornea and crystalline lens and impinges on the human retina. UV transmission to the retina appears to be unique to the young and some older pseudophakes. In this study, we determine the variation in UV transmission in a relatively homogenous sample of young adults. Methods 42 subjects were tested (M = 19 ± 1.3 years). Absolute thresholds to UV radiation were collected (λmax = 315 nm, 305–325). Macular pigment optical density (MPOD, measured using heterochromatic flicker photometry) and iris color (using a standardized color scale) were also assessed as potential covariates. Results All of the subjects could detect UV radiation at 315 nm but individual variation was large (over a factor of 30). Higher MPOD and darker iridies were not related to UV sensitivity in this young sample. Males, however, were more sensitive to UV than the females (p<0.05). Conclusions The large individual differences in UV reaching the retina of younger individuals suggests equally significant vulnerability to the actinic effects of this highly energetic light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Billy R. Hammond
- Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lisa Renzi-Hammond
- Institute of Gerontology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
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Brock CD, Rennison D, Veen T, Bolnick DI. Opsin expression predicts male nuptial color in threespine stickleback. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:7094-7102. [PMID: 30073070 PMCID: PMC6065272 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Theoretical models of sexual selection suggest that male courtship signals can evolve through the build-up of genetic correlations between the male signal and female preference. When preference is mediated via increased sensitivity of the signal characteristics, correlations between male signal and perception/sensitivity are expected. When signal expression is limited to males, we would expect to find signal-sensitivity correlations in males. Here, we document such a correlation within a breeding population of threespine stickleback mediated by differences in opsin expression. Males with redder nuptial coloration express more long-wavelength-sensitive (LWS) opsin, making them more sensitive to orange and red. This correlation is not an artifact of shared tuning to the optical microhabitat. Such correlations are an essential feature of many models of sexual selection, and our results highlight the potential importance of opsin expression variation as a substrate for signal-preference evolution. Finally, these results suggest a potential sensory mechanism that could drive negative frequency-dependent selection via male-male competition and thus maintain variation in male nuptial color.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad D. Brock
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of Texas at AustinTexas
- Biodiversity Institute & the Department of BotanyUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyoming
| | - Diana Rennison
- Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Thor Veen
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of Texas at AustinTexas
- Life SciencesQuest UniversitySquamishBCCanada
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Efficacy of repellent-treated structural barriers for Richardson’s ground squirrels (Urocitellus richardsonii (Sabine)) and house mice (Mus musculus L.). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2018.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Toomey MB, Corbo JC. Evolution, Development and Function of Vertebrate Cone Oil Droplets. Front Neural Circuits 2017; 11:97. [PMID: 29276475 PMCID: PMC5727011 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2017.00097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
To distinguish colors, the nervous system must compare the activity of distinct subtypes of photoreceptors that are maximally sensitive to different portions of the light spectrum. In vertebrates, a variety of adaptations have arisen to refine the spectral sensitivity of cone photoreceptors and improve color vision. In this review article, we focus on one such adaptation, the oil droplet, a unique optical organelle found within the inner segment of cone photoreceptors of a diverse array of vertebrate species, from fish to mammals. These droplets, which consist of neutral lipids and carotenoid pigments, are interposed in the path of light through the photoreceptor and modify the intensity and spectrum of light reaching the photosensitive outer segment. In the course of evolution, the optical function of oil droplets has been fine-tuned through changes in carotenoid content. Species active in dim light reduce or eliminate carotenoids to enhance sensitivity, whereas species active in bright light precisely modulate carotenoid double bond conjugation and concentration among cone subtypes to optimize color discrimination and color constancy. Cone oil droplets have sparked the curiosity of vision scientists for more than a century. Accordingly, we begin by briefly reviewing the history of research on oil droplets. We then discuss what is known about the developmental origins of oil droplets. Next, we describe recent advances in understanding the function of oil droplets based on biochemical and optical analyses. Finally, we survey the occurrence and properties of oil droplets across the diversity of vertebrate species and discuss what these patterns indicate about the evolutionary history and function of this intriguing organelle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Joseph C Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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Stevens M, Troscianko J, Wilson-Aggarwal JK, Spottiswoode CN. Improvement of individual camouflage through background choice in ground-nesting birds. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 1:1325-1333. [PMID: 28890937 PMCID: PMC5584661 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0256-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Animal camouflage is a longstanding example of adaptation. Much research has tested how camouflage prevents detection and recognition, largely focusing on changes to an animal's own appearance over evolution. However, animals could also substantially alter their camouflage by behaviourally choosing appropriate substrates. Recent studies suggest that individuals from several animal taxa could select backgrounds or positions to improve concealment. Here, we test whether individual wild animals choose backgrounds in complex environments, and whether this improves camouflage against predator vision. We studied nest site selection by nine species of ground-nesting birds (nightjars, plovers and coursers) in Zambia, and used image analysis and vision modeling to quantify egg and plumage camouflage to predator vision. Individual birds chose backgrounds that enhanced their camouflage, being better matched to their chosen backgrounds than to other potential backgrounds with respect to multiple aspects of camouflage. This occurred at all three spatial scales tested (a few cm and five meters from the nest, and compared to other sites chosen by conspecifics), and was the case for the eggs of all bird groups studied, and for adult nightjar plumage. Thus, individual wild animals improve their camouflage through active background choice, with choices highly refined across multiple spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Stevens
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK.
| | - Jolyon Troscianko
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Jared K Wilson-Aggarwal
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Claire N Spottiswoode
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
- DST-NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
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Scholtyßek C, Kelber A. [Color vision in animals : From color blind seals to tetrachromatic vision in birds]. Ophthalmologe 2017; 114:978-985. [PMID: 28752388 DOI: 10.1007/s00347-017-0543-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The colors in which we see an object are not only dependent on the spectral composition of the reflected light but also represent an interpretation by our eyes and the trichromatic visual system. OBJECTIVE How do animals of other species see the world? RESULTS The majority of mammals do not have three but only two types of cones and therefore have dichromatic color vision. Marine mammals and some nocturnally active mammals even have only one type of cone and are completely color blind. In contrast, birds as well as many fish and reptiles see in the world in more color hues and with four types of cones. Many vertebrates, insects and crustaceans can see not only the spectrum perceived by us but also ultraviolet radiation as light. CONCLUSION In order to understand how animals of other species see the world, their visual systems must be understood and the animals must be tested in behavioral investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Scholtyßek
- The Priory Road Complex, School of Experimental Psychology, Priory Road, BS8 1TU, Clifton, UK
| | - A Kelber
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 22362, Lund, Schweden.
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Mitkus M, Olsson P, Toomey MB, Corbo JC, Kelber A. Specialized photoreceptor composition in the raptor fovea. J Comp Neurol 2017; 525:2152-2163. [PMID: 28199005 PMCID: PMC6235456 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Revised: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The retinae of many bird species contain a depression with high photoreceptor density known as the fovea. Many species of raptors have two foveae, a deep central fovea and a shallower temporal fovea. Birds have six types of photoreceptors: rods, active in dim light, double cones that are thought to mediate achromatic discrimination, and four types of single cones mediating color vision. To maximize visual acuity, the fovea should only contain photoreceptors contributing to high-resolution vision. Interestingly, it has been suggested that raptors might lack double cones in the fovea. We used transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry to evaluate this claim in five raptor species: the common buzzard (Buteo buteo), the honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), the Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), the red kite (Milvus milvus), and the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). We found that all species, except the Eurasian sparrowhawk, lack double cones in the center of the central fovea. The size of the double cone-free zone differed between species. Only the common buzzard had a double cone-free zone in the temporal fovea. In three species, we examined opsin expression in the central fovea and found evidence that rod opsin positive cells were absent and violet-sensitive cone and green-sensitive cone opsin positive cells were present. We conclude that not only double cones, but also single cones may contribute to high-resolution vision in birds, and that raptors may in fact possess high-resolution tetrachromatic vision in the central fovea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mindaugas Mitkus
- Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 22364, Lund, Sweden
| | - Peter Olsson
- Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 22364, Lund, Sweden
| | - Matthew B. Toomey
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Joseph C. Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Almut Kelber
- Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 22364, Lund, Sweden
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Peirson SN, Brown LA, Pothecary CA, Benson LA, Fisk AS. Light and the laboratory mouse. J Neurosci Methods 2017; 300:26-36. [PMID: 28414048 PMCID: PMC5909038 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Light exerts widespread effects on physiology and behaviour. As well as the widely-appreciated role of light in vision, light also plays a critical role in many non-visual responses, including regulating circadian rhythms, sleep, pupil constriction, heart rate, hormone release and learning and memory. In mammals, responses to light are all mediated via retinal photoreceptors, including the classical rods and cones involved in vision as well as the recently identified melanopsin-expressing photoreceptive retinal ganglion cells (pRGCs). Understanding the effects of light on the laboratory mouse therefore depends upon an appreciation of the physiology of these retinal photoreceptors, including their differing sens itivities to absolute light levels and wavelengths. The signals from these photoreceptors are often integrated, with different responses involving distinct retinal projections, making generalisations challenging. Furthermore, many commonly used laboratory mouse strains carry mutations that affect visual or non-visual physiology, ranging from inherited retinal degeneration to genetic differences in sleep and circadian rhythms. Here we provide an overview of the visual and non-visual systems before discussing practical considerations for the use of light for researchers and animal facility staff working with laboratory mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart N Peirson
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford Molecular Pathology Institute, Dunn School of Pathology, South Parks Road, Oxford, United Kingdom.
| | - Laurence A Brown
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford Molecular Pathology Institute, Dunn School of Pathology, South Parks Road, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Carina A Pothecary
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford Molecular Pathology Institute, Dunn School of Pathology, South Parks Road, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Lindsay A Benson
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford Molecular Pathology Institute, Dunn School of Pathology, South Parks Road, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Angus S Fisk
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford Molecular Pathology Institute, Dunn School of Pathology, South Parks Road, Oxford, United Kingdom
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