The visual neuroecology of anisoptera

Lancer, Benjamin H.; Evans, Bernard J. E.; Wiederman, Steven D.

doi:10.1016/j.cois.2020.07.002

Cited by 10 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…Furthermore, unlike predatory birds, odonates perceive and make use of polarized light as a cue for habitat selection, foraging and communication (Lancer et al, 2020). Polarization vision increases the perceived contrast of a given target against bright backgrounds, for instance, the UV-iridescent colours of Z. lanei against water and/or blue sky, which allow them to detect and recognize conspecifics more easily (Labhart & Nilsson, 1995).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Camouflage by counter‐brightness: the blue wings of Morpho dragonflies Zenithoptera lanei (Anisoptera: Libellulidae) match the water background

2022

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Bright iridescent colours are widespread in several aquatic and terrestrial animal taxa and are usually involved in intraspecific communication and/or predator avoidance. Camouflage by iridescence may be one strategy to avoid predators when the animal exhibits bright colours that match the brightness of its surroundings. Hence, animal structural colouration may have a "brightness matching" or "counterbrightness" function when observed against bright or glossy backgrounds. Here, we addressed the role of such counter-brightness effect of the iridescent wings of the Morpho dragonfly Zenithoptera lanei for avoiding detection. We hypothesized that the bright reflectance of the dragonfly wings is cryptic against the bright water surface and the glossy vegetation where they naturally occur, protecting the dragonfly from visually oriented predators, deceiving prey and signalling to conspecifics when desired. We addressed whether (1) the iridescent colours of Z. lanei wings function as a visual strategy to reduce their wing detectability by brightness matching the background and (2) the detectability of wings against vegetation and water varies according to the observer. For this, we modelled how conspecifics, dipteran prey and predatory birds see the odonate wings against the vegetation of the Neotropical Savannah and against the water surface where the dragonflies perch. Our results suggest that Z. lanei dragonflies can avoid detection by predators, prey and conspecifics when perched on their natural habitats (i.e., ponds) against the bright background of the water surface. Here, we add evidence to the multifunctionality of structural colours in animals and the function of iridescence in camouflage. The bright iridescence and ultraviolet reflective nanostructures of Z. lanei wings when coupled with striking behavioural displays may provide a dynamic and safe intraspecific communication channel.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Camouflage by counter‐brightness: the blue wings of Morpho dragonflies Zenithoptera lanei (Anisoptera: Libellulidae) match the water background

2022

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“…Drosophila have well-established circuit connectivity and have been used to study sensory-guided walking, flying and courtship behaviors (Seelig and Jayaraman, 2011 ; Calhoun and Murthy, 2017 ; Devineni and Scaplen, 2021 ). Dragonflies also have a relatively simple brain structure and have been used to study hunting behavior (Lancer et al, 2020 ). Rodents and non-human primates possess higher level cognitive abilities and have been used to study sensory-guided decision-making tasks (Churchland et al, 2008 ; Rauschecker and Scott, 2009 ; Freedman and Ibos, 2018 ).…”

Section: Conclusion and Outstanding Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

From perception to behavior: The neural circuits underlying prey hunting in larval zebrafish

Zhu

Goodhill²

2023

Front. Neural Circuits

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A key challenge for neural systems is to extract relevant information from the environment and make appropriate behavioral responses. The larval zebrafish offers an exciting opportunity for studying these sensing processes and sensory-motor transformations. Prey hunting is an instinctual behavior of zebrafish that requires the brain to extract and combine different attributes of the sensory input and form appropriate motor outputs. Due to its small size and transparency the larval zebrafish brain allows optical recording of whole-brain activity to reveal the neural mechanisms involved in prey hunting and capture. In this review we discuss how the larval zebrafish brain processes visual information to identify and locate prey, the neural circuits governing the generation of motor commands in response to prey, how hunting behavior can be modulated by internal states and experience, and some outstanding questions for the field.

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“…This information is available to all animals with spatial vision, and it would be remarkable if it does not have a major influence on animal behavior and choice of habitat. The spatial distribution of light in natural environments is known to be reflected in the retinal design of both vertebrate and insect eyes (Zimmermann et al, 2018;Lancer et al, 2020;Qiu et al, 2021), but how animals use the overall distribution of light to assess their environment is practically unknown. The amount of light illuminating the environment (the illuminance or irradiance) is well-known to regulate behavior and to entrain biological rhythms across the animal kingdom (Hertz et al, 1994;Cobcroft et al, 2001;Kristensen et al, 2006;Chiesa et al, 2010;Tuomainen and Candolin, 2011;Pauers et al, 2012;Alves-Simoes et al, 2016;Farnworth et al, 2016;Kapogiannatou et al, 2016;Blume et al, 2019;Storms et al, 2022).…”

Section: The Biological Significance Of Vertical Light Gradientsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The vertical light-gradient and its potential impact on animal distribution and behavior

2022

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The visual environment provides vital cues allowing animals to assess habitat quality, weather conditions or measure time of day. Together with other sensory cues and physiological conditions, the visual environment sets behavioral states that make the animal more prone to engage in some behaviors, and less in others. This master-control of behavior serves a fundamental and essential role in determining the distribution and behavior of all animals. Although it is obvious that visual information contains vital input for setting behavioral states, the precise nature of these visual cues remains unknown. Here we use a recently described method to quantify the distribution of light reaching animals’ eyes in different environments. The method records the vertical gradient (as a function of elevation angle) of intensity, spatial structure and spectral balance. Comparison of measurements from different types of environments, weather conditions, times of day, and seasons reveal that these aspects can be readily discriminated from one another. The vertical gradients of radiance, spatial structure (contrast) and color are thus reliable indicators that are likely to have a strong impact on animal behavior and spatial distribution.

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The visual neuroecology of anisoptera

Cited by 10 publications

References 72 publications

Camouflage by counter‐brightness: the blue wings of Morpho dragonflies Zenithoptera lanei (Anisoptera: Libellulidae) match the water background

Camouflage by counter‐brightness: the blue wings of Morpho dragonflies Zenithoptera lanei (Anisoptera: Libellulidae) match the water background

From perception to behavior: The neural circuits underlying prey hunting in larval zebrafish

The vertical light-gradient and its potential impact on animal distribution and behavior

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