Visual stimuli that elicit appetitive behaviors in three morphologically distinct species of praying mantis

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Many behaviors and physiological processes oscillate with circadian rhythms that are synchronized to environmental cues (e.g. light onset), but persist with periods of ~24 h in the absence of such cues. We used a multilevel experimental approach to assess whether circadian rhythms modulate several aspects of the visual physiology and behavior of the praying mantis Hierodula patellifera. We used electroretinograms (ERGs) to assess compound eye sensitivity, colorimetric photographic analyses to assess compound eye color changes (screening pigment migration), behavioral assays of responsiveness to computer-generated prey-like visual stimuli and analyses of locomotor activity patterns on a modified treadmill apparatus. Our results indicate that circadian clocks control and/or modulate each of the target behaviors. Strong rhythms, persisting under constant conditions, with periods of ~24 h were evident in photoreceptor sensitivity to light, appetitive responsiveness to preylike stimuli and gross locomotor activity. In the first two cases, responsiveness was highest during the subjective night and lowest during the subjective day. Locomotor activity was strongly clustered around the transition time from day to night. In addition, pigment migration and locomotor behavior responded strongly to light:dark cycles and anticipated the light-dark transition, suggesting that the circadian clocks modulating both were entrained to environmental light cues. Together, these data indicate that circadian rhythms operate at the cellular, cellular systems and organismal level in H. patellifera. Our results represent an intriguing first step in uncovering the complexities of circadian rhythms in the Mantodea.

Section: Circadian Rhythms Of Gross Locomotor Behaviormentioning

confidence: 81%

Circadian rhythms affect the electroretinogram, compound eye color, striking behavior, and locomotion of the praying mantis,Hierodula patellifera(Serville)

Schirmer

Prete

Mantes

et al. 2014

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“…At one end of the continuum, we find predators that, by relying primarily on a few key prey features ['sign stimuli' (Tinbergen, 1951)], make rapid decisions and do minimal classifying of prey into particular types. Of particular note are the remarkably similar prey identification algorithms used by neurologically diverse animals, including amphibians (Ingle, 1983;Ewert, 2004), cuttlefish (Darmaillacq et al, 2004) and mantises (Prete et al, 2011). In some of these examples, such as frogs and toads, predators rapidly capture prey with a ballistic flick of the tongue after swift, efficient classification based on seeing an object of a specific size range moving in a specific orientation (Barlow, 1953;Lettvin et al, 1959;Ewert, 1997;Ewert, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In some of these examples, such as frogs and toads, predators rapidly capture prey with a ballistic flick of the tongue after swift, efficient classification based on seeing an object of a specific size range moving in a specific orientation (Barlow, 1953;Lettvin et al, 1959;Ewert, 1997;Ewert, 2004). Many jumping spiders (Salticidae) may, like a toad (Ewert, 1997) or a mantis (Prete et al, 2011), rapidly decide on the basis of a few key features whether an object is prey or non-prey, followed by a swift prey-capture sequence (Drees, 1952;Forster, 1982). However, it is also among the salticids that some of the most distinctive examples of predators at the other end of the continuum are found.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The discerning predator: decision rules underlying prey classification by a mosquito-eating jumping spider

Nelson

Jackson

2012

SUMMARYEvarcha culicivora is an East African jumping spider that feeds indirectly on vertebrate blood by choosing blood-fed female Anopheles mosquitoes as prey. Previous studies have shown that this predator can identify its preferred prey even when restricted to using only visual cues. Here, we used lures and virtual mosquitoes to investigate the optical cues underlying this predatorʼs prey-choice behaviour. We made lures by dissecting and then reconstructing dead mosquitoes, combining the head plus thorax with different abdomens. Depending on the experiment, lures were either moving or motionless. Findings from the lure experiments suggested that, for E. culicivora, seeing a blood-fed female mosquitoʼs abdomen on a lure was a necessary, but not sufficient, cue by which preferred prey was identified, as cues from the abdomen needed to be paired with cues from the head and thorax of a mosquito. Conversely, when abdomens were not visible or were identical, spiders based their decisions on the appearance of the head plus thorax of mosquitoes, choosing prey with female characteristics. Findings from a subsequent experiment using animated 3D virtual mosquitoes suggest that it is specifically the mosquitoʼs antennae that influence E. culicivoraʼs prey-choice decisions. Our results show that E. culicivora uses a complex process for prey classification.

“…Prete et al, 2011;Prete et al, 2013; see also Ewert, 2004). These shared features include object size, object-tobackground contrast, speed, movement pattern and leading edge length (Gonka et al, 1999;Prete, 1999a;Prete et al, 2011;Prete et al, 2012;Prete et al, 2013; see also Rossel, 1980;Rossel et al, 1992;Poteser et al, 1998;Yamawaki, 2000;Yamawaki, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Visual stimulus characteristics that elicit tracking and striking in the Praying Mantises, Parasphendale affinis (Giglio-Tos), Popa spurca (Stål), and Sphodromantis lineola (Burmeister)

Prete

Theis

Dominguez

et al. 2013

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SUMMARYWe tested three species of praying mantis, Parasphendale affinis, Popa spurca and Sphodromantis lineola, with computergenerated stimuli that differed in size, contrast, configuration and movement pattern to determine the effects of these parameters on visual tracking and striking behavior. Overall, black disks moving erratically against a white background were strong releasers of both behaviors. When stimulus presentation order was randomized by size, P. affinis and P. spurca struck at progressively higher rates as the stimuli enlarged up to 44 deg; S. lineola struck most at intermediate sized (10-20 deg) disks. When disks were size-ordered from small to large, P. affinis and S. lineola struck at the smaller disks at higher rates; however, when the order was reversed, the early appearance of large disks suppressed subsequent responses to the smaller disks. Stimulus order did not differentially affect the responses of P. spurca. All species responded at higher rates to black disks moving against a white background versus the reverse. However, only P. spurca and S. lineola responded at higher rates to relatively darker grey disks, only P. affinis responded to mottled grey disks moving against an identically patterned background, and only P. spurca struck more frequently in response to rectangular stimuli oriented parallel (versus orthogonal) to their direction of movement. In conjunction with data on other species, these results support the hypothesis that praying mantises recognize prey based on assessment of several category-specific, spatiotemporal features, e.g. size, contrast, speed, movement pattern and leading edge length.