Evidence for short-wavelength receptor inputs to a pitch-sensitive descending neuron in the honeybee
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1
The National Vision Research Insititute of Australia, Australia
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2
ARC Centre of Excellence in Vision Science, Research School of Biology , Australia
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3
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering, United States
Optomotor reflexes have been observed in many insects and in some cases the neural pathways that mediate these reflexes have been identified physiologically and anatomically. In honeybees Kaiser (1975) established that the spectral sensitivity of optomotor responses in bees almost exactly matched that of the green photoreceptors, suggesting this reflex receives inputs exclusively from green photoreceptors. Here, I present the responses of an identified neuron in the optomotor pathway of bees (DNII2) that selectively responds to upward image motion in the frontal visual field. In contrast to Kaiser’s results and the current dogma regarding spectral sensitivity of the optomotor response, the present study shows that DNII2 responds strongly to short-wavelength stimulation as well as to green stimulation. Although green photoreceptors in bees have spectral sensitivities that stretch into the UV region of the spectrum, their short-wavelength responses are relatively weak. Given the very strong responses of DNII2 to motion displayed at a short-wavelength (380 nm) our results suggest a strong contribution from short-wavelength photoreceptors in addition to those from green photoreceptors. The velocity tuning and contrast frequency response characteristics of the neuron for both green and short-wavelength light are described. The latency and ocellar contributions to the responses of these neurons are also examined. The results show that with the ocelli uncovered the response of DNII2 to motion stimuli is faster (lower latency) and the amplitude of DNII2`s responses to flashed stimuli are larger than when they are covered. Our study demonstrates that for honeybees the ultraviolet spectrum may contain useful motion signals and that ocelli modulate compound eye information.
Keywords:
Apis mellifera,
desending neuron,
direction sensitive,
insect
Conference:
Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology, College Park. Maryland USA, United States, 5 Aug - 10 Aug, 2012.
Presentation Type:
Poster (but consider for Participant Symposium)
Topic:
Sensory: Vision
Citation:
Hung
Y,
Van Kleef
JP and
Ibbotson
MR
(2012). Evidence for short-wavelength receptor inputs to a pitch-sensitive descending neuron in the honeybee.
Conference Abstract:
Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnbeh.2012.27.00140
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Received:
27 Apr 2012;
Published Online:
07 Jul 2012.
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Correspondence:
Ms. Yu-Shan Hung, The National Vision Research Insititute of Australia, Carlton, Victoria, 3053, Australia, yushung@gmail.com