Spectral Tuning between Vision and Bioluminescence in Beetles, An Example of von Uexkull's Functional Cycle
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1
Howard University, Department of Biology, United States
Among beetles (Coleoptera) three families, Lampyridae, Elateridae and Phengodidae are known to emit bioluminescence (BL), the colors of which range from deep green to red. Among lampyrids and elaterids the BL optical signaling is utilized for sexual communication. Since the optical signal is limited in photon content, the signaling behavior takes place in light-limiting environment such that these species are either vespertine or nocturnal or both. In North American fireflies, a strong correlation was observed between species flashing activity and the colors of BL such that nocturnal species emit green BL, while vespertine species emit yellow-to-orange BL (Lall et al., 1980). Electroretinographic determination of spectral sensitivity of the compound eyes of nocturnal species (n=4) shows broad visual spectral sensitivity in the green. Hence the selection of green BL among nocturnal beetles would optimize signal detection. The strictly vespertine firefly species (n=7) possess narrow yellow visual sensitivity functions that match the species yellow-to-orange BL emissions. The narrowing of the visual sensitivity functions was found to be due to the presence of species-specific magenta screening pigments, which presumably act as environmental photon ‘noise’ filters ambient sunlight reflected from green foliage during twilight hours (Lall et al., 1988; Cronin et al., 2000). The action spectrum of the female's behavioral response matches species BL emission in Photinus pyralis (Lall and Worthy 2000). A few firefly species which emit yellow BL initiate flashing at twilight and continue into the night (n=2), and some nocturnal species in specialized habitats emit yellow BL; however, all these species possess broad green visual spectral sensitivity that would detect both green and yellow BL. Four species of click beetles studied show broad green visual spectral sensitivity that would detect green-to-yellow BL (Lall et al., 2010). Spectral tuning between species bioluminescence and visual spectral sensitivity is an example of von Uexkull's (1934) functional cycle in instinctive behavior where the receptor and the effector system are dovetailed to each other. Since the visual system evolutionarily precedes BL optical signaling in insects, the observed range of colors of BL represents an adaptive response to varied photic habitats. In each species, the color of the BL is optimized for detection in a particular photic niche.
Acknowledgements
Collaborations with Professors Thomas W. Cronin, Howard H. Seliger, James E. Lloyd, Dora Ventura and Etelvino Bechara are gratefully acknowledged.
References
Lall AB, Worthy KM (2000) Action spectrum of the female response in firefly Photinus pyralis (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). J Insect Physiol 46: 965-968.
Lall AB, Seliger HH, Biggley WH, Lloyd JE (1980). Ecology of colors of firefly bioluminescence. Science 210: 560 562.
Lall AB, Strother GK, Cronin TW, Seliger HH (1988) Modification of Spectral sensitivities by the screening pigments in the compound eyes of twilight active fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). J Comp Physiol A 162: 23-33.
Lall AB, Cronin TW, Carvalho AA, de Souza JM, Barros MP, Stevani, CV, Ventura, DSF, Bechara, EJH, Viviani, VR, Hill, AA (2010) Vision in click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae): pigments and spectral correspondence between species visual sensitivity and bioluminescence emission. J Comp Physiol A 196:629-638.
Von Uexküll, J. (1934). Streifzuge durch die Umwelten von Tieren und Menschen, Berlin: Springer
Keywords:
Beetles,
bioluminescence,
spectral tuning,
Vision,
visual spectral sensitivity
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:
Lall
AB
(2012). Spectral Tuning between Vision and Bioluminescence in Beetles, An Example of von Uexkull's Functional Cycle
.
Conference Abstract:
Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnbeh.2012.27.00425
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Received:
03 May 2012;
Published Online:
07 Jul 2012.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Abner B Lall, Howard University, Department of Biology, Washington, DC, 20059, United States, alall@howard.edu