Polarized communication and camouflage in fishes
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1
University of Texas, Section of Integrative Biology, United States
In near-surface aquatic habitats, the highly structured yet angular-dependent polarized lightfield represents a complex backdrop for communication and camouflage. Here, we show behavioural evidence for female responsiveness towards polarized reflectance of male swordtails (a freshwater fish), as well as physiological evidence for a unique means to blend in against this complex light field from a marine fish (the lookdown). While keeping intensity constant, we modified the incident polarization light field properties (both angle and degree of linear polarization) to evaluate mate choice with and without polarized reflectance, as well as measure skin polarization reflectance under specific optical conditions. We found that female swordtails spent significantly more time associating with polarization-reflecting males than males in unpolarized conditions, while finding no difference in association time in control conditions. Meanwhile, the open ocean dwelling lookdown appears to minimize its polarized reflectance under optical conditions favouring polarization-detection. The Mueller matrix properties of the lookdown differ significantly from other marine fish that occupy more depolarized light environments (turbid inshore seagrass beds) providing them with improved polaro-crypsis for the open ocean.
Keywords:
mate choice,
Mueller matrix,
open ocean,
Polarization camouflage,
Polarization sensitivity,
Polarization signalling
Conference:
Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology, College Park. Maryland USA, United States, 5 Aug - 10 Aug, 2012.
Presentation Type:
Invited Symposium (only for people who have been invited to a particular symposium)
Topic:
Sensory: Vision
Citation:
Cummings
ME,
Calabrese
G and
Brady
P
(2012). Polarized communication and camouflage in fishes.
Conference Abstract:
Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnbeh.2012.27.00063
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Received:
04 Jul 2012;
Published Online:
07 Jul 2012.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Molly E Cummings, University of Texas, Section of Integrative Biology, Austin, TX, 78712, United States, mcummings@mail.utexas.edu