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Santer RD, Allen WL. Optimising the colour of traps requires an insect's eye view. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:931-934. [PMID: 37755337 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Colour is a critical property of many traps used to control or monitor insect pests, and applied entomologists continue to devote time and effort to improving colour for greater trapping efficiency. This work has often been guided by human colour perceptions, which differ greatly from those of the pests being studied. As a result, trap development can be a laborious process that is heavily reliant on trial and error. However, the responses of an insect's photoreceptors to a given trap colour can be calculated using well-established procedures. Photoreceptor responses represent sensory inputs that drive insect behaviour, and if their relationship to insect attraction can be determined or hypothesised, they provide metrics that can guide the rational optimisation of trap colour. This approach has recently been used successfully in separate studies of tsetse flies and thrips, but could be applied to a wide diversity of pest insects. Here we describe this approach to facilitate its use by applied entomologists. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger D Santer
- Department of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK
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2
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Mulhair PO, Crowley L, Boyes DH, Lewis OT, Holland PWH. Opsin Gene Duplication in Lepidoptera: Retrotransposition, Sex Linkage, and Gene Expression. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad241. [PMID: 37935057 PMCID: PMC10642689 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad241] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Color vision in insects is determined by signaling cascades, central to which are opsin proteins, resulting in sensitivity to light at different wavelengths. In certain insect groups, lineage-specific evolution of opsin genes, in terms of copy number, shifts in expression patterns, and functional amino acid substitutions, has resulted in changes in color vision with subsequent behavioral and niche adaptations. Lepidoptera are a fascinating model to address whether evolutionary change in opsin content and sequence evolution are associated with changes in vision phenotype. Until recently, the lack of high-quality genome data representing broad sampling across the lepidopteran phylogeny has greatly limited our ability to accurately address this question. Here, we annotate opsin genes in 219 lepidopteran genomes representing 33 families, reconstruct their evolutionary history, and analyze shifts in selective pressures and expression between genes and species. We discover 44 duplication events in opsin genes across ∼300 million years of lepidopteran evolution. While many duplication events are species or family specific, we find retention of an ancient long-wavelength-sensitive (LW) opsin duplication derived by retrotransposition within the speciose superfamily Noctuoidea (in the families Nolidae, Erebidae, and Noctuidae). This conserved LW retrogene shows life stage-specific expression suggesting visual sensitivities or other sensory functions specific to the early larval stage. This study provides a comprehensive order-wide view of opsin evolution across Lepidoptera, showcasing high rates of opsin duplications and changes in expression patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter O Mulhair
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Liam Crowley
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | | | - Owen T Lewis
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
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3
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Frolov RV, Severina I, Novikova E, Ignatova II, Liu H, Zhukovskaya M, Torkkeli PH, French AS. Opsin knockdown specifically slows phototransduction in broadband and UV-sensitive photoreceptors in Periplaneta americana. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2022; 208:591-604. [PMID: 36224473 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-022-01580-z] [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: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Photoreceptors with different spectral sensitivities serve different physiological and behavioral roles. We hypothesized that such functional evolutionary optimization could also include differences in phototransduction dynamics. We recorded elementary responses to light, quantum bumps (QBs), of broadband green-sensitive and ultraviolet (UV)-sensitive photoreceptors in the cockroach, Periplaneta americana, compound eyes using intracellular recordings. In addition to control photoreceptors, we used photoreceptors from cockroaches whose green opsin 1 (GO1) or UV opsin expression was suppressed by RNA interference. In the control broadband and UV-sensitive photoreceptors average input resistances were similar, but the membrane capacitance, a proxy for membrane area, was smaller in the broadband photoreceptors. QBs recorded in the broadband photoreceptors had comparatively short latencies, high amplitudes and short durations. Absolute sensitivities of both opsin knockdown photoreceptors were significantly lower than in wild type, and, unexpectedly, their latency was significantly longer while the amplitudes were not changed. Morphologic examination of GO1 knockdown photoreceptors did not find significant differences in rhabdom size compared to wild type. Our results differ from previous findings in Drosophila melanogaster rhodopsin mutants characterized by progressive rhabdomere degeneration, where QB amplitudes were larger but phototransduction latency was not changed compared to wild type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman V Frolov
- Laboratory of Comparative Sensory Physiology, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pr. Thorez 44, 194223, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Irina Severina
- Laboratory of Comparative Sensory Physiology, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pr. Thorez 44, 194223, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Novikova
- Laboratory of Comparative Sensory Physiology, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pr. Thorez 44, 194223, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Irina I Ignatova
- Laboratory of Comparative Sensory Physiology, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pr. Thorez 44, 194223, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Hongxia Liu
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, P.O. BOX 15000, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Marianna Zhukovskaya
- Laboratory of Comparative Sensory Physiology, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pr. Thorez 44, 194223, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Päivi H Torkkeli
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, P.O. BOX 15000, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Andrew S French
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, P.O. BOX 15000, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
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Ilić M, Chen PJ, Pirih P, Meglič A, Prevc J, Yago M, Belušič G, Arikawa K. Simple and complex, sexually dimorphic retinal mosaic of fritillary butterflies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210276. [PMID: 36058236 PMCID: PMC9441240 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Butterflies have variable sets of spectral photoreceptors that underlie colour vision. The photoreceptor organization may be optimized for the detection of body coloration. Fritillaries (Argynnini) are nymphalid butterflies exhibiting varying degrees of sexual dimorphism in wing coloration. In two sister species, the females have orange (Argynnis paphia) and dark wings (Argynnis sagana), respectively, while the males of both species have orange wings with large patches of pheromone-producing androconia. In spite of the differences in female coloration, the eyes of both species exhibit an identical sexual dimorphism. The female eyeshine is uniform yellow, while the males have a complex retinal mosaic with yellow and red-reflecting ommatidia. We found the basic set of ultraviolet-, blue- and green-peaking photoreceptors in both sexes. Males additionally have three more photoreceptor classes, peaking in green, yellow and red, respectively. The latter is the basal R9, indirectly measured through hyperpolarizations in the green-peaking R1-2. In many nymphalid tribes, including the closely related Heliconiini, the retinal mosaic is complex in both sexes. We hypothesize that the simple mosaic of female Argynnini is a secondary reduction, possibly driven by the use of olfaction for intraspecific recognition, whereas vision remains the primary sense for the task in the males. This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding colour vision: molecular, physiological, neuronal and behavioural studies in arthropods'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Ilić
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, Sokendai - The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 240-0193 Hayama, Japan
| | - Pei-Ju Chen
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 11529 Taipei, Taiwan
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, Sokendai - The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 240-0193 Hayama, Japan
| | - Primož Pirih
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andrej Meglič
- Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, Grablovičeva 46, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jošt Prevc
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Masaya Yago
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, 113-0033 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Gregor Belušič
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Kentaro Arikawa
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, Sokendai - The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 240-0193 Hayama, Japan
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McCulloch KJ, Macias-Muñoz A, Mortazavi A, Briscoe AD. Multiple mechanisms of photoreceptor spectral tuning in Heliconius butterflies. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6555095. [PMID: 35348742 PMCID: PMC9048915 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of color vision is often studied through the lens of receptor gain relative to an ancestor with fewer spectral classes of photoreceptor. For instance, in Heliconius butterflies, a genus-specific UVRh opsin duplication led to the evolution of UV color discrimination in Heliconius erato females, a rare trait among butterflies. However, color vision evolution is not well understood in the context of loss. In Heliconius melpomene and Heliconius ismenius lineages, the UV2 receptor subtype has been lost, which limits female color vision in shorter wavelengths. Here, we compare the visual systems of butterflies that have either retained or lost the UV2 photoreceptor using intracellular recordings, ATAC-seq, and antibody staining. We identify several ways these butterflies modulate their color vision. In H. melpomene, chromatin reorganization has downregulated an otherwise intact UVRh2 gene, whereas in H. ismenius, pseudogenization has led to the truncation of UVRh2. In species that lack the UV2 receptor, the peak sensitivity of the remaining UV1 photoreceptor cell is shifted to longer wavelengths. Across Heliconius, we identify the widespread use of filtering pigments and co-expression of two opsins in the same photoreceptor cells. Multiple mechanisms of spectral tuning, including the molecular evolution of blue opsins, have led to the divergence of receptor sensitivities between species. The diversity of photoreceptor and ommatidial subtypes between species suggests that Heliconius visual systems are under varying selection pressures for color discrimination. Modulating the wavelengths of peak sensitivities of both the blue- and remaining UV-sensitive photoreceptor cells suggests that Heliconius species may have compensated for UV receptor loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J McCulloch
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.,Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Aide Macias-Muñoz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.,Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA 93106, USA.,Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Ali Mortazavi
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Adriana D Briscoe
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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6
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Streets A, England H, Marshall J. Colour vision in stomatopod crustaceans: more questions than answers. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274564. [PMID: 35224643 PMCID: PMC9001920 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Stomatopod crustaceans, or mantis shrimps, are known for their extensive range of spectral sensitivities but relatively poor spectral discrimination. Instead of the colour-opponent mechanism of other colour vision systems, the 12 narrow-band colour channels they possess may underlie a different method of colour processing. We investigated one hypothesis, in which the photoreceptors are proposed to act as individual wave-band detectors, interpreting colour as a parallel pattern of photoreceptor activation, rather than a ratiometric comparison of individual signals. This different form of colour detection has been used to explain previous behavioural tests in which low saturation blue was not discriminated from grey, potentially because of similar activation patterns. Results here, however, indicate that the stomatopod, Haptosquilla trispinosa was able to easily distinguish several colours, including blue of both high and low saturation, from greys. The animals did show a decrease in performance over time in an artificially lit environment, indicating plasticity in colour discrimination ability. This rapid plasticity, most likely the result of a change in opsin (visual pigment) expression, has now been noted in several animal lineages (both invertebrate and vertebrate) and is a factor we suggest needing care and potential re-examination in any colour-based behavioural tests. As for stomatopods, it remains unclear why they achieve poor colour discrimination using the most comprehensive set of spectral sensitivities in the animal kingdom and also what form of colour processing they may utilise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Streets
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Australia
| | - Hayley England
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Australia
| | - Justin Marshall
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Australia
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7
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Muñoz-Galicia D, Castillo-Guevara C, Lara C. Innate and learnt color preferences in the common green-eyed white butterfly ( Leptophobia aripa): experimental evidence. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12567. [PMID: 34909282 PMCID: PMC8638565 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Learning abilities help animals modify their behaviors based on experience and innate sensory biases to confront environmental unpredictability. In a food acquisition context, the ability to detect, learn, and switch is fundamental in a wide range of insect species facing the ever-changing availability of their floral rewards. Here, we used an experimental approach to address the innate color preferences and learning abilities of the common green-eyed white butterfly (Leptophobia aripa). Methods In Experiment 1, we conducted innate preference choice-tests to determine whether butterflies had a strong innate color preference and to evaluate whether color preferences differed depending on the array of colors offered. We faced naïve butterflies to artificial flowers of four colors (quadruple choice-test): yellow, pink, white, and red; their choices were assessed. In Experiment 2, we examined the ability of this butterfly species to associate colors with rewards while exploring if the spectral reflectance value of a flower color can slow or accelerate this behavioral response. Butterflies were first trained to be fed from artificial yellow flowers inserted in a feeder. These were later replaced by artificial flowers with a similar (blue) or very different (white) spectral reflectance range. Each preference test comprised a dual-choice test (yellow vs blue, yellow vs white). Results Butterflies showed an innate strong preference for red flowers. Both the number of visits and the time spent probing these flowers were much greater than the pink, white, and yellow color flowers. Butterflies learn to associate colors with sugar rewards. They then learned the newly rewarded colors as quickly and proficiently as if the previously rewarded color was similar in spectral reflectance value; the opposite occurs if the newly rewarded color is very different than the previously rewarded color. Conclusions Our findings suggest that common green-eyed white butterflies have good learning abilities. These capabilities may allow them to respond rapidly to different color stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deysi Muñoz-Galicia
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, San Felipe, Ixtacuixtla, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Citlalli Castillo-Guevara
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, San Felipe, Ixtacuixtla, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Carlos Lara
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, San Felipe, Ixtacuixtla, Tlaxcala, Mexico
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8
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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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9
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Kertész K, Bálint Z, Piszter G, Horváth ZE, Biró LP. Multi-instrumental techniques for evaluating butterfly structural colors: A case study on Polyommatus bellargus (Rottemburg, 1775) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae). ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2021; 61:101010. [PMID: 33486292 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2020.101010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Color is an important communication channel for day-flying butterflies. Chemical (pigmentary) coloration is often supplemented by physical color generated by photonic nanostructures. These nanoarchitectures - which are characteristic for a given species - exhibit wavelength ranges in which light propagation is forbidden. The photonic nanoarchitectures are located in the lumen of the wing scales and are developed individually by each scale during metamorphosis. This self-assembly process is governed by the genes in the nucleus of the scale producing cell. It is crucial to establish well-defined measurement methods for the unambiguous characterization and comparison of colors generated in such a complex manner. Owing to the intricate architecture ordered at multiple levels (from centimeters to tens of nanometers), the precise quantitative determination of butterfly wing coloration is not trivial. In this paper, we present an overview of several optical spectroscopy measurement methods and illustrate techniques for processing the obtained data, using the species Polyommatus bellargus as a test case, the males of which exhibit a variation in their blue structural color that is easily recognizable to the naked eye. The benefits and drawbacks of these optical methods are discussed and compared. Furthermore, the origin of the color differences is explained in relation to differences in the wing scale nanomorphology revealed by electron microscopy. This in turn is tentatively associated with the unusually large genetic drift reported for this species in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krisztián Kertész
- Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Centre for Energy Research, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Zsolt Bálint
- Hungarian Natural History Museum, Baross utca 13, H-1088 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Piszter
- Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Centre for Energy Research, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Endre Horváth
- Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Centre for Energy Research, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Péter Biró
- Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Centre for Energy Research, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest, Hungary
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10
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Liénard MA, Bernard GD, Allen A, Lassance JM, Song S, Childers RR, Yu N, Ye D, Stephenson A, Valencia-Montoya WA, Salzman S, Whitaker MRL, Calonje M, Zhang F, Pierce NE. The evolution of red color vision is linked to coordinated rhodopsin tuning in lycaenid butterflies. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2008986118. [PMID: 33547236 PMCID: PMC8017955 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2008986118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Color vision has evolved multiple times in both vertebrates and invertebrates and is largely determined by the number and variation in spectral sensitivities of distinct opsin subclasses. However, because of the difficulty of expressing long-wavelength (LW) invertebrate opsins in vitro, our understanding of the molecular basis of functional shifts in opsin spectral sensitivities has been biased toward research primarily in vertebrates. This has restricted our ability to address whether invertebrate Gq protein-coupled opsins function in a novel or convergent way compared to vertebrate Gt opsins. Here we develop a robust heterologous expression system to purify invertebrate rhodopsins, identify specific amino acid changes responsible for adaptive spectral tuning, and pinpoint how molecular variation in invertebrate opsins underlie wavelength sensitivity shifts that enhance visual perception. By combining functional and optophysiological approaches, we disentangle the relative contributions of lateral filtering pigments from red-shifted LW and blue short-wavelength opsins expressed in distinct photoreceptor cells of individual ommatidia. We use in situ hybridization to visualize six ommatidial classes in the compound eye of a lycaenid butterfly with a four-opsin visual system. We show experimentally that certain key tuning residues underlying green spectral shifts in blue opsin paralogs have evolved repeatedly among short-wavelength opsin lineages. Taken together, our results demonstrate the interplay between regulatory and adaptive evolution at multiple Gq opsin loci, as well as how coordinated spectral shifts in LW and blue opsins can act together to enhance insect spectral sensitivity at blue and red wavelengths for visual performance adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjorie A Liénard
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02142;
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Gary D Bernard
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Andrew Allen
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Jean-Marc Lassance
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Siliang Song
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Richard Rabideau Childers
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Nanfang Yu
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Dajia Ye
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Adriana Stephenson
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Wendy A Valencia-Montoya
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Shayla Salzman
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Melissa R L Whitaker
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | | | - Feng Zhang
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02142
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Naomi E Pierce
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138;
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11
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Kinoshita M, Stewart FJ. Retinal organization and visual abilities for flower foraging in swallowtail butterflies. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 42:76-83. [PMID: 33010475 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Papilio butterflies' ability to forage for flowers relies upon multiple visual cues such as color, brightness, and motion. Papilio learns the color of rewarding flowers and detects it at a distance. Its color vision is based on four photoreceptor classes: UV, blue, green, and red, providing sensitive wavelength discrimination. These four receptor classes also contribute to the perception of brightness and polarization. Papilio's motion vision is based on a different set of receptors: green, red, and broad band. This implies that two visual pathways exist in Papilio. The contribution of several receptor classes not only for chromatic vision but also achromatic vision likely enhances the butterfly's ability to detect flowers in complex visual environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiyo Kinoshita
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, SOKENDAI-Hayama (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama 240-0193, Japan.
| | - Finlay J Stewart
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, SOKENDAI-Hayama (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama 240-0193, Japan
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12
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Schröder-Turk GE. Quo vadis biophotonics? Wearing serendipity and slow science as a badge of pride, and embracing biology. Faraday Discuss 2020; 223:307-323. [PMID: 33034598 DOI: 10.1039/d0fd00108b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This article is a reflection on the themes of the Faraday Discussion meeting on 'Biological and bio-inspired optics' held from 20 to 22 July 2020. It is a personal perspective on the nature of this field as a broad and interdisciplinary field that has led to a sound understanding of the material properties of biological nanostructured and optical materials. The article describes how the nature of the field and the themes of the conference are reflected in particular in work on the 3D bicontinuous biophotonic nanostructures known as single gyroids and in bicontinuous structures more broadly. Such single gyroid materials are found for example in the butterfly Thecla opisena, where the questions of biophotonic response, of bio-inspired optics, of the relationship between structure and function, and of the relationship between natural and synthetic realisations are closely interlinked. This multitude of facets of research on single gyroid structures reflects the beauty of the broader field of biophotonics, namely as a field that lives through embracing the serendipitous discovery of the biophotonic marvels that nature offers to us as seeds for in-depth analysis and understanding. The meandering nature of its discoveries, and the need to accept the slowness that comes from exploration of intellectually new or foreign territory, mean that the field shares some traits with biological evolution itself. Looking into the future, I consider that a closer engagement with living tissue and with the biological questions of function and formation, rather than with the materials science of biological materials, will help ensure the continuing great success of this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerd E Schröder-Turk
- Murdoch University, College of Science, Health, Engineering & Education, 90 South St, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
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Varija
Raghu S, Thamankar R. A Comparative Study of Crystallography and Defect Structure of Corneal Nipple Array in Daphnis nerii Moth and Papilio polytes Butterfly Eye. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:23662-23671. [PMID: 32984686 PMCID: PMC7512438 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c02314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Moth and butterfly ommatidial nanostructures have been extensively studied for their anti-reflective properties. Especially, from the point of view of sub-wavelength anti-reflection phenomena, the moth eye structures are the archetype example. Here, a comparative analysis of corneal nipples in moth eye (both Male and Female) and butterfly eye (both Male and Female) is given. The surface of moth(Male and Female) and butterfly(Male and Female) eye is defined with regularly arranged hexagonal facets filled with corneal nipples. A detailed analysis using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy images show the intricate hexagonal arrangement of corneal nipples within the individual hexagonal facet. Individual nipples in moth are circular with an average diameter of about 140/165 nm (Male/Female) and average internipple separation of 165 nm. The moth eye show the ordered arrangement of the corneal nipples and the butterfly eye (Male/Female) show an even more complex arrangement of the nipples. Structurally, the corneal nipples in both male and female butterflies are not circular but are polygons with 5, 6, and 7 sides. The average center-to-center separation in the butterfly(Male/Female) is about 260 nm/204 nm, respectively. We find that these corneal nipples are organized into much more dense hexagonal packing with the internipple (edge-to-edge) separation ranging from 20 to 25 nm. Each hexagonal facet is divided into multiple grains separated by boundaries spanning one or two crystallographic defects. These defects are seen in both moth and butterfly. These are typical 5-coordinated and 7-coordinated defect sites typical for a solid-state material with the hexagonal atomic arrangement. Even though the isolated defects are a rarity, interwoven (7-5) defects form a grain boundary between perfectly ordered grains. These defects introduce a low-angle dislocation, and a detailed analysis of the defects is done. The butterfly eye (Male/Female) is defined with extremely high-density corneal nipple with no apparent grains. Each corneal nipple is a polygon with "n" sides (n = 5, 6, and 7). While the 5- and 7-coordinated defects exist, they do not initiate a grain rotation as seen in the moth eyes. To find out the similarity and the difference in the reflectivity of these nanostructured surfaces, we used the effective medium theory and calculated the reflectivity in moth and butterfly eyes. From this simple analysis, we find that females have better anti-reflective properties compared to the males in both moth and butterfly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamprasad Varija
Raghu
- Neurogenetics
Lab, Dept of Applied Zoology, Mangalore
University, Mangalagangothri, Karnataka, India 574199
| | - R. Thamankar
- Department
of Physics, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT, Vellore, Tamilnadu, India 632014
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14
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Schnaitmann C, Pagni M, Reiff DF. Color vision in insects: insights from Drosophila. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2020; 206:183-198. [PMID: 32020291 PMCID: PMC7069916 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-019-01397-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Color vision is an important sensory capability that enhances the detection of contrast in retinal images. Monochromatic animals exclusively detect temporal and spatial changes in luminance, whereas two or more types of photoreceptors and neuronal circuitries for the comparison of their responses enable animals to differentiate spectral information independent of intensity. Much of what we know about the cellular and physiological mechanisms underlying color vision comes from research on vertebrates including primates. In insects, many important discoveries have been made, but direct insights into the physiology and circuit implementation of color vision are still limited. Recent advances in Drosophila systems neuroscience suggest that a complete insect color vision circuitry, from photoreceptors to behavior, including all elements and computations, can be revealed in future. Here, we review fundamental concepts in color vision alongside our current understanding of the neuronal basis of color vision in Drosophila, including side views to selected other insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Schnaitmann
- Department for Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology I, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Manuel Pagni
- Department for Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology I, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Dierk F Reiff
- Department for Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology I, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany.
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15
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Nagloo N, Kinoshita M, Arikawa K. Spectral organization of the compound eye of a migrating nymphalid, the chestnut tiger butterfly Parantica sita. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb217703. [PMID: 31900350 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.217703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Several butterflies of family Nymphalidae perform long-distance migration. Extensive studies of migration in the iconic monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus have revealed that vision plays a crucial role in migratory orientation. Differences in the migratory patterns of butterflies suggest that not all species are exposed to the same visual conditions and yet, little is known about how the visual system varies across migratory species. Here, we used intracellular electrophysiology, dye injection and electron microscopy to assess the spectral and polarization properties of the photoreceptors of a migrating nymphalid, Parantica sita Our findings reveal three spectral classes of photoreceptors including ultraviolet, blue and green receptors. The green receptor class contains three subclasses, which are broad, narrow and double-peaking green receptors. Ultraviolet and blue receptors are sensitive to polarized light parallel to the dorso-ventral axis of the animal, while the variety of green receptors are sensitive to light polarized at 45 deg, 90 deg and 135 deg away from the dorso-ventral axis. The polarization sensitivity ratio is constant across spectral receptor classes at around 1.8. Although P. sita has a typical nymphalid eye with three classes of spectral receptors, subtle differences exist among the eyes of migratory nymphalids, which may be genus specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Nagloo
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced studies), Hayama 240-0193, Japan
| | - Michiyo Kinoshita
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced studies), Hayama 240-0193, Japan
| | - Kentaro Arikawa
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced studies), Hayama 240-0193, Japan
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16
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Saito T, Koyanagi M, Sugihara T, Nagata T, Arikawa K, Terakita A. Spectral tuning mediated by helix III in butterfly long wavelength-sensitive visual opsins revealed by heterologous action spectroscopy. ZOOLOGICAL LETTERS 2019; 5:35. [PMID: 31890273 PMCID: PMC6915953 DOI: 10.1186/s40851-019-0150-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Absorption spectra of opsin-based pigments are tuned from the UV to the red regions by interactions of the chromophore with surrounding amino acid residues. Both vertebrates and invertebrates possess long-wavelength-sensitive (LWS) opsins, which underlie color vision involving "red" sensing. The LWS opsins have independently evolved in each lineage, which suggests the existence of diverse mechanisms in spectral tuning. In vertebrate LWS opsins, the mechanisms underlying spectral tuning have been well characterized by spectroscopic analyses with recombinant pigments of wild type (WT) and mutant opsins. However in invertebrate LWS opsins including insect ones, the mechanisms are largely unknown due to the difficulty in obtaining recombinant pigments. Here we have overcome the problem by analyzing heterologous action spectra based on light-dependent changes in the second messenger in opsin-expressing cultured cells. We found that WTs of two LWS opsins of the butterfly, Papilio xuthus, PxRh3 and PxRh1 have the wavelengths of the absorption maxima at around 570 nm and 540 nm, respectively. Analysis of a series of chimeric mutants showed that helix III is crucial to generating a difference of about 15 nm in the wavelength of absorption maxima of these LWS opsins. Further site-directed mutations in helix III revealed that amino acid residues at position 116 and 120 (bovine rhodopsin numbering system) are involved in the spectral tuning of PxRh1 and PxRh3, suggesting a different spectral tuning mechanism from that of primate LWS opsins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoka Saito
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, 558-8585 Japan
| | - Mitsumasa Koyanagi
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, 558-8585 Japan
- The Osaka City University Advanced Research Institute for Natural Science and Technology, Osaka City University, Osaka, 558-8585 Japan
| | - Tomohiro Sugihara
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, 558-8585 Japan
| | - Takashi Nagata
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, 558-8585 Japan
| | - Kentaro Arikawa
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama, 240-0115 Japan
| | - Akihisa Terakita
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, 558-8585 Japan
- The Osaka City University Advanced Research Institute for Natural Science and Technology, Osaka City University, Osaka, 558-8585 Japan
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Toussaint EFA, Warren AD. A review of red-eye pigmentation and diel activity patterns in skippers (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea, Hesperiidae). J NAT HIST 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2019.1692090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew D. Warren
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Spalding A, Shanks K, Bennie J, Potter U, Ffrench-Constant R. Optical Modelling and Phylogenetic Analysis Provide Clues to the Likely Function of Corneal Nipple Arrays in Butterflies and Moths. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10090262. [PMID: 31443396 PMCID: PMC6780202 DOI: 10.3390/insects10090262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The lenses in compound eyes of butterflies and moths contain an array of nipple-shaped protuberances, or corneal nipples. Previous work has suggested that these nipples increase light transmittance and reduce the eye glare of moths that are inactive during the day. This work builds on but goes further than earlier analyses suggesting a functional role for these structures including, for the first time, an explanation of why moths are attracted to UV light. Using a phylogenetic approach and 3D optical modelling, we show empirically that these arrays have been independently lost from different groups of moths and butterflies and vary within families. We find differences in the shape of nipples between nocturnal and diurnal species, and that anti-glow reflectance levels are different at different wave-lengths, a result thereby contradicting the currently accepted theory of eye glow for predator avoidance. We find that there is reduced reflectance, and hence greater photon absorption, at UV light, which is probably a reason why moths are attracted to UV. We note that the effective refractive index at the end of the nipples is very close to the refractive index of water, allowing almost all the species with nipples to see without distortion when the eye is partially or completely wet and providing the potential to keep eyes dry. These observations provide a functional explanation for these arrays. Of special interest is the finding that their repeated and independent loss across lepidopteran phylogeny is inconsistent with the explanation that they are being lost in the ‘higher’, more active butterflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Spalding
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter in Cornwall, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK.
- Spalding Associates (Environmental) Ltd., 10 Walsingham Place, Truro TR1 2RP, UK.
| | - Katie Shanks
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Jon Bennie
- Centre for Geography and Environmental Science, Peter Lanyon Building, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, Cornwall, PenrynTR10 9FE, UK
| | - Ursula Potter
- Microscopy & Analysis Suite, Faculty of Science, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Richard Ffrench-Constant
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter in Cornwall, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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19
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Maia R, Gruson H, Endler JA, White TE. pavo
2: New tools for the spectral and spatial analysis of colour in
r. Methods Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 193] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Maia
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology Columbia University New York NY
| | - Hugo Gruson
- CEFE, University Montpellier CNRS University Paul Valery Montpellier 3 EPHE IRD Montpellier France
| | - John A. Endler
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Waurn Ponds Campus Vic. Australia
| | - Thomas E. White
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
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20
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Pecháček P, Stella D, Kleisner K. A morphometric analysis of environmental dependences between ultraviolet patches and wing venation patterns in Gonepteryx butterflies (Lepidoptera, Pieridae). Evol Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-019-09969-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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21
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Pirih P, Ilić M, Rudolf J, Arikawa K, Stavenga DG, Belušič G. The giant butterfly-moth Paysandisia archon has spectrally rich apposition eyes with unique light-dependent photoreceptor dynamics. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2018; 204:639-651. [PMID: 29869100 PMCID: PMC6028894 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-018-1267-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The palm borer moth Paysandisia archon (Burmeister, 1880) (fam. Castniidae) is a large, diurnally active palm pest. Its compound eyes consist of ~ 20,000 ommatidia and have apposition optics with interommatidial angles below 1°. The ommatidia contain nine photoreceptor cells and appear structurally similar to those in nymphalid butterflies. Two morphological ommatidial types were identified. Using the butterfly numbering scheme, in type I ommatidia, the distal rhabdom consists exclusively of the rhabdomeres of photoreceptors R1–2; the medial rhabdom has contributions from R1–8. The rhabdom in type II ommatidia is distally split into two sub-rhabdoms, with contributions from photoreceptors R2, R3, R5, R6 and R1, R4, R7, R8, respectively; medially, only R3–8 and not R1–2 contribute to the fused rhabdom. In both types, the pigmented bilobed photoreceptors R9 contribute to the rhabdom basally. Their nuclei reside in one of the lobes. Upon light adaptation, in both ommatidial types, the rhabdoms secede from the crystalline cones and pigment granules invade the gap. Intracellular recordings identified four photoreceptor classes with peak sensitivities in the ultraviolet, blue, green and orange wavelength regions (at 360, 465, 550, 580 nm, respectively). We discuss the eye morphology and optics, the photoreceptor spectral sensitivities, and the adaptation to daytime activity from a phylogenetic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Primož Pirih
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, SOKENDAI The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Shonan International Village, Hayama, 240-0115, Kanagawa, Japan. .,Department of Artificial Intelligence, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 9, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Marko Ilić
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jerneja Rudolf
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt. 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway
| | - Kentaro Arikawa
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, SOKENDAI The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Shonan International Village, Hayama, 240-0115, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Doekele G Stavenga
- Department of Computational Physics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, NL, 9747AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gregor Belušič
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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22
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Schroeder TBH, Houghtaling J, Wilts BD, Mayer M. It's Not a Bug, It's a Feature: Functional Materials in Insects. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2018; 30:e1705322. [PMID: 29517829 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201705322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Over the course of their wildly successful proliferation across the earth, the insects as a taxon have evolved enviable adaptations to their diverse habitats, which include adhesives, locomotor systems, hydrophobic surfaces, and sensors and actuators that transduce mechanical, acoustic, optical, thermal, and chemical signals. Insect-inspired designs currently appear in a range of contexts, including antireflective coatings, optical displays, and computing algorithms. However, as over one million distinct and highly specialized species of insects have colonized nearly all habitable regions on the planet, they still provide a largely untapped pool of unique problem-solving strategies. With the intent of providing materials scientists and engineers with a muse for the next generation of bioinspired materials, here, a selection of some of the most spectacular adaptations that insects have evolved is assembled and organized by function. The insects presented display dazzling optical properties as a result of natural photonic crystals, precise hierarchical patterns that span length scales from nanometers to millimeters, and formidable defense mechanisms that deploy an arsenal of chemical weaponry. Successful mimicry of these adaptations may facilitate technological solutions to as wide a range of problems as they solve in the insects that originated them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas B H Schroeder
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2300 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Jared Houghtaling
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2200 Bonisteel Boulevard, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Bodo D Wilts
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Michael Mayer
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
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Lind O, Henze MJ, Kelber A, Osorio D. Coevolution of coloration and colour vision? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0338. [PMID: 28533455 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary relationship between signals and animal senses has broad significance, with potential consequences for speciation, and for the efficacy and honesty of biological communication. Here we outline current understanding of the diversity of colour vision in two contrasting groups: the phylogenetically conservative birds, and the more variable butterflies. Evidence for coevolution of colour signals and vision exists in both groups, but is limited to observations of phenotypic differences between visual systems, which might be correlated with coloration. Here, to illustrate how one might interpret the evolutionary significance of such differences, we used colour vision modelling based on an avian eye to evaluate the effects of variation in three key characters: photoreceptor spectral sensitivity, oil droplet pigmentation and the proportions of different photoreceptor types. The models predict that physiologically realistic changes in any one character will have little effect, but complementary shifts in all three can substantially affect discriminability of three types of natural spectra. These observations about the adaptive landscape of colour vision may help to explain the general conservatism of photoreceptor spectral sensitivities in birds. This approach can be extended to other types of eye and spectra to inform future work on coevolution of coloration and colour vision.This article is part of the themed issue 'Animal coloration: production, perception, function and application'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olle Lind
- Department of Philosophy, Cognitive Science, Helgonavägen 3, 22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Miriam J Henze
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Almut Kelber
- Department of Biology, Lund Vision Group, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Daniel Osorio
- School of Life Sciences, John Maynard Smith Building, University of Sussex, Falmer, BN1 9QG, UK
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Song BM, Lee CH. Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of Color Vision in Insects. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 12:16. [PMID: 29527156 PMCID: PMC5829095 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Many visual animals exploit spectral information for seeking food and mates, for identifying preys and predators, and for navigation. Animals use chromatic information in two ways. "True color vision," the ability to discriminate visual stimuli on the basis of their spectral content independent of brightness, is thought to play an important role in object identification. In contrast, "wavelength-specific behavior," which is strongly dependent on brightness, often associates with foraging, navigation, and other species-specific needs. Among animals capable of chromatic vision, insects, with their diverse habitats, stereotyped behaviors, well-characterized anatomy and powerful genetic tools, are attractive systems for studying chromatic information processing. In this review, we first discuss insect photoreceptors and the relationship between their spectral sensitivity and animals' color vision and ecology. Second, we review recent studies that dissect chromatic circuits and explore neural mechanisms of chromatic information processing. Finally, we review insect behaviors involving "true color vision" and "wavelength-specific behaviors," especially in bees, butterflies, and flies. We include examples of high-order color vision, such as color contrast and constancy, which are shared by vertebrates. We focus on Drosophila studies that identified neuronal correlates of color vision and innate spectral preferences. We also discuss the electrophysiological studies in bees that reveal color encoding. Despite structural differences between insects' and vertebrates' visual systems, their chromatic vision appears to employ the same processing principles, such as color opponency, suggesting convergent solutions of neural computation to common problems.
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25
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Jacobs GH. Photopigments and the dimensionality of animal color vision. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 86:108-130. [PMID: 29224775 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Early color-matching studies established that normal human color vision is trichromatic. Subsequent research revealed a causal link between trichromacy and the presence in the retina of three classes of cone photopigments. Over the years, measurements of the photopigment complements of other species have expanded greatly and these are frequently used to predict the dimensionality of an animal's color vision. This review provides an account of how the linkage between the number of active photopigments and the dimensions of human color vision developed, summarizes the various mechanisms that can impact photopigment spectra and number, and provides an across-species survey to examine cases where the photopigment link to the dimensionality of color vision has been claimed. The literature reveals numerous instances where the human model fails to account for the ways in which the visual systems of other animals exploit information obtained from the presence of multiple photopigments in support of their behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald H Jacobs
- Department of Psychological and Brain Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
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26
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Lebhardt F, Desplan C. Retinal perception and ecological significance of color vision in insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 24:75-83. [PMID: 29208227 PMCID: PMC5726413 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Color vision relies on the ability to discriminate different wavelengths and is often improved in insects that inhabit well-lit, spectrally rich environments. Although the Opsin proteins themselves are sensitive to specific wavelength ranges, other factors can alter and further restrict the sensitivity of photoreceptors to allow for finer color discrimination and thereby more informed decisions while interacting with the environment. The ability to discriminate colors differs between insects that exhibit different life styles, between female and male eyes of the same species, and between regions of the same eye, depending on the requirements of intraspecific communication and ecological demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur Lebhardt
- Department of Biology, New York University, NY 10003, USA
| | - Claude Desplan
- Department of Biology, New York University, NY 10003, USA.
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Arikawa K, Iwanaga T, Wakakuwa M, Kinoshita M. Unique Temporal Expression of Triplicated Long-Wavelength Opsins in Developing Butterfly Eyes. Front Neural Circuits 2017; 11:96. [PMID: 29238294 PMCID: PMC5712540 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2017.00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Following gene duplication events, the expression patterns of the resulting gene copies can often diverge both spatially and temporally. Here we report on gene duplicates that are expressed in distinct but overlapping patterns, and which exhibit temporally divergent expression. Butterflies have sophisticated color vision and spectrally complex eyes, typically with three types of heterogeneous ommatidia. The eyes of the butterfly Papilio xuthus express two green- and one red-absorbing visual pigment, which came about via gene duplication events, in addition to one ultraviolet (UV)- and one blue-absorbing visual pigment. We localized mRNAs encoding opsins of these visual pigments in developing eye disks throughout the pupal stage. The mRNAs of the UV and blue opsin are expressed early in pupal development (pd), specifying the type of the ommatidium in which they appear. Red sensitive photoreceptors first express a green opsin mRNA, which is replaced later by the red opsin mRNA. Broadband photoreceptors (that coexpress the green and red opsins) first express the green opsin mRNA, later change to red opsin mRNA and finally re-express the green opsin mRNA in addition to the red mRNA. Such a unique temporal and spatial expression pattern of opsin mRNAs may reflect the evolution of visual pigments and provide clues toward understanding how the spectrally complex eyes of butterflies evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Arikawa
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Iwanaga
- Graduate School of Integrated Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Motohiro Wakakuwa
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan
| | - Michiyo Kinoshita
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan
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Niu Y, Chen Z, Stevens M, Sun H. Divergence in cryptic leaf colour provides local camouflage in an alpine plant. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 284:20171654. [PMID: 28978734 PMCID: PMC5647307 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The efficacy of camouflage through background matching is highly environment-dependent, often resulting in intraspecific colour divergence in animals to optimize crypsis in different visual environments. This phenomenon is largely unexplored in plants, although several lines of evidence suggest they do use crypsis to avoid damage by herbivores. Using Corydalis hemidicentra, an alpine plant with cryptic leaf colour, we quantified background matching between leaves and surrounding rocks in five populations based on an approximate model of their butterfly enemy's colour perception. We also investigated the pigment basis of leaf colour variation and the association between feeding risk and camouflage efficacy. We show that plants exhibit remarkable colour divergence between populations, consistent with differences in rock appearances. Leaf colour varies because of a different quantitative combination of two basic pigments-chlorophyll and anthocyanin-plus different air spaces. As expected, leaf colours are better matched against their native backgrounds than against foreign ones in the eyes of the butterfly. Furthermore, improved crypsis tends to be associated with a higher level of feeding risk. These results suggest that divergent cryptic leaf colour may have evolved to optimize local camouflage in various visual environments, extending our understanding of colour evolution and intraspecific phenotype diversity in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Niu
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhe Chen
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Martin Stevens
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Hang Sun
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
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Clark RC, Santer RD, Brebner JS. A generalized equation for the calculation of receptor noise limited colour distances in n-chromatic visual systems. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170712. [PMID: 28989773 PMCID: PMC5627113 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Researchers must assess similarities and differences in colour from an animal's eye view when investigating hypotheses in ecology, evolution and behaviour. Nervous systems generate colour perceptions by comparing the responses of different spectral classes of photoreceptor through colour opponent mechanisms, and the performance of these mechanisms is limited by photoreceptor noise. Accordingly, the receptor noise limited (RNL) colour distance model of Vorobyev and Osorio (Vorobyev & Osorio 1998 Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B265, 351-358 (doi:10.1098/rspb.1998.0302)) generates predictions about the discriminability of colours that agree with behavioural data, and consequently it has found wide application in studies of animal colour vision. Vorobyev and Osorio (1998) provide equations to calculate RNL colour distances for animals with di-, tri- and tetrachromatic vision, which is adequate for many species. However, researchers may sometimes wish to compute RNL colour distances for potentially more complex colour visual systems. Thus, we derive a simple, single formula for the computation of RNL distance between two measurements of colour, equivalent to the published di-, tri- and tetrachromatic equations of Vorobyev and Osorio (1998), and valid for colour visual systems with any number of types of noisy photoreceptors. This formula will allow the easy application of this important colour visual model across the fields of ecology, evolution and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. C. Clark
- School of Natural and Computing Sciences, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, UK
| | - R. D. Santer
- Institute of Biological, Environmental, and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3FG, UK
| | - J. S. Brebner
- Institute of Biological, Environmental, and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3FG, UK
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Satoh A, Stewart FJ, Koshitaka H, Akashi HD, Pirih P, Sato Y, Arikawa K. Red-shift of spectral sensitivity due to screening pigment migration in the eyes of a moth, Adoxophyes orana. ZOOLOGICAL LETTERS 2017; 3:14. [PMID: 28861276 PMCID: PMC5575869 DOI: 10.1186/s40851-017-0075-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We have found that the spectral sensitivity of the compound eye in the summer fruit tortrix moth (Adoxophyes orana) differs in laboratory strains originating from different regions of Japan. We have investigated the mechanisms underlying this anomalous spectral sensitivity. METHODS We applied electrophysiology, light and electron microscopy, opsin gene cloning, mathematical modeling, and behavioral analysis. RESULTS The ERG-determined spectral sensitivity of dark-adapted individuals of all strains peaks around 520 nm. When light-adapted, the spectral sensitivity of the Nagano strain narrows and its peak shifts to 580 nm, while that in other strains remains unchanged. All tested strains appear to be identical in terms of the basic structure of the eye, the pigment migration in response to light- and dark-adaptation, and the molecular structure of long-wavelength absorbing visual pigments. However, the color of the perirhabdomal pigment clearly differs; it is orange in the Nagano strain and purple in the others. The action spectrum of phototaxis appears to be shifted towards longer wavelengths in the Nagano individuals. CONCLUSIONS The spectral sensitivities of light-adapted eyes can be modeled under the assumption that this screening pigment plays a crucial role in determining the spectral sensitivity. The action spectrum of phototaxis indicates that the change in the eye spectral sensitivity is behaviorally relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya Satoh
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama, 240-0193 Japan
| | - Finlay J. Stewart
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama, 240-0193 Japan
| | - Hisaharu Koshitaka
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama, 240-0193 Japan
| | - Hiroshi D. Akashi
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama, 240-0193 Japan
| | - Primož Pirih
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama, 240-0193 Japan
| | - Yasushi Sato
- Division of Tea Research, Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Kanaya, 428-0039 Japan
| | - Kentaro Arikawa
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama, 240-0193 Japan
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Jakobsson J, Henze MJ, Svensson GP, Lind O, Anderbrant O. Visual cues of oviposition sites and spectral sensitivity of Cydia strobilella L. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 101:161-168. [PMID: 28676323 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We investigated whether the spruce seed moth (Cydia strobilella L., Tortricidae: Grapholitini), an important pest in seed orchards of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), can make use of the spectral properties of its host when searching for flowers to oviposit on. Spectral measurements showed that the flowers, and the cones they develop into, differ from a background of P. abies needles by a higher reflectance of long wavelengths. These differences increase as the flowers develop into mature cones. Electroretinograms (ERGs) in combination with spectral adaptation suggest that C. strobilella has at least three spectral types of photoreceptor; an abundant green-sensitive receptor with maximal sensitivity at wavelength λmax=526nm, a blue-sensitive receptor with λmax=436nm, and an ultraviolet-sensitive receptor with λmax=352nm. Based on our spectral measurements and the receptor properties inferred from the ERGs, we calculated that open flowers, which are suitable oviposition sites, provide detectable achromatic, but almost no chromatic contrasts to the background of needles. In field trials using traps of different spectral properties with or without a female sex pheromone lure, only pheromone-baited traps caught moths. Catches in baited traps were not correlated with the visual contrast of the traps against the background. Thus, visual contrast is probably not the primary cue for finding open host flowers, but it could potentially complement olfaction as a secondary cue, since traps with certain spectral properties caught significantly more moths than others.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Miriam J Henze
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden; Brain Research Institute, University of Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Olle Lind
- Department of Philosophy, Lund University, Sweden
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Arikawa K. The eyes and vision of butterflies. J Physiol 2017; 595:5457-5464. [PMID: 28332207 DOI: 10.1113/jp273917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Butterflies use colour vision when searching for flowers. Unlike the trichromatic retinas of humans (blue, green and red cones; plus rods) and honeybees (ultraviolet, blue and green photoreceptors), butterfly retinas typically have six or more photoreceptor classes with distinct spectral sensitivities. The eyes of the Japanese yellow swallowtail (Papilio xuthus) contain ultraviolet, violet, blue, green, red and broad-band receptors, with each ommatidium housing nine photoreceptor cells in one of three fixed combinations. The Papilio eye is thus a random patchwork of three types of spectrally heterogeneous ommatidia. To determine whether Papilio use all of their receptors to see colours, we measured their ability to discriminate monochromatic lights of slightly different wavelengths. We found that Papilio can detect differences as small as 1-2 nm in three wavelength regions, rivalling human performance. We then used mathematical modelling to infer which photoreceptors are involved in wavelength discrimination. Our simulation indicated that the Papilio vision is tetrachromatic, employing the ultraviolet, blue, green and red receptors. The random array of three ommatidial types is a common feature in butterflies. To address the question of how the spectrally complex eyes of butterflies evolved, we studied their developmental process. We have found that the development of butterfly eyes shares its molecular logic with that of Drosophila: the three-way stochastic expression pattern of the transcription factor Spineless determines the fate of ommatidia, creating the random array in Papilio.
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Kinoshita M, Stewart FJ, Ômura H. Multisensory integration in Lepidoptera: Insights into flower-visitor interactions. Bioessays 2017; 39. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.201600086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michiyo Kinoshita
- Laboratory of Neuroethology; SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies); Shonan Village Hayama Japan
| | - Finlay J. Stewart
- Laboratory of Neuroethology; SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies); Shonan Village Hayama Japan
| | - Hisashi Ômura
- Graduate School of Biosphere Science; Hiroshima University; Higashi-hiroshima Hiroshima Japan
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Abstract
Butterfly eyes are random mosaics built of three ommatidia types, each with a different set of photoreceptors and pigments. What defines the combined features in each ommatidium? A new study has solved the puzzle.
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35
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Kelber A. Colour in the eye of the beholder: receptor sensitivities and neural circuits underlying colour opponency and colour perception. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2016; 41:106-112. [PMID: 27649467 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2016.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Revised: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Colour vision-the ability to discriminate spectral differences irrespective of variations in intensity-has two basic requirements: (1) photoreceptors with different spectral sensitivities, and (2) neural comparison of signals from these photoreceptors. Major progress has been made understanding the evolution of the basic stages of colour vision-opsin pigments, screening pigments, and the first neurons coding chromatic opponency, and similarities between mammals and insects point to general mechanisms. However, much work is still needed to unravel full colour pathways in various animals. While primates may have brain regions entirely dedicated to colour coding, animals with small brains, such as insects, likely combine colour information directly in parallel multisensory pathways controlling various behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Almut Kelber
- Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden.
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