The scotopic and photopic visual sensitivity in the nocturnal tree frog Agalychnis callidryas

Abstract

The red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas) is endemic to the rainforests of Central America. During the night, it hunts for insects in the treetops whereas at daytime, the frogs rest under leaves. In the present study we determined the relative visual sensitivity spectrum of this nocturnal frog species by ERG recordings in both the dark- and light-adapted state. In both the scotopic- and photopic-sensitivity curve, we found only minor individual variations among the tested individuals. The sensitivity maximum of the scotopic curve was determined at 500 nm, which matches the absorption properties of the RH1-visual pigment expressed in the red rods of frogs. The sensitivity maximum of the photopic curve was found at 545 nm which is close to the absorption maximum of the LWS pigment type expressed in most cones of the frog retina. The threshold curves determined by ERG recordings here reveal no unusual features in the sensitivity spectrum of the red-eyed tree frog that could be interpreted as adaptations for its strictly nocturnal life style.

Quantifying the relationship between optical anatomy and retinal physiological sensitivity: A comparative approach

“…This conclusion emphasizes the importance of defining cone mosaics for parsing the significance of visual signaling variance. Finally, if photopic responses accurately reflect sensitivity in cones, then the cone thresholds in diurnal species are sufficient for mediating processing throughout the day and on the forest floor (Jaeger & Hailman, ; Liebau, Eisenberg, & Esser, ).…”