Ocellar optics in nocturnal and diurnal bees and wasps

Warrant, Eric J.; Kelber, Almut; Wallén, Rita; Wcislo, William T.

doi:10.1016/j.asd.2006.08.012

Cited by 73 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 42 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…However some of them, such as Megalopta (Halictidae, Algochlorini), are adapted to a restricted niche, foraging at twilight, when most bee species are not active (Wcislo et al 2004;Warrant et al 2006;Wcislo and Tierney 2009). The aim of this study was to describe the flowering phenology, floral biology and the visitors of Mouriri guianensis, highlighting the crepuscular bees Megalopta amoena.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flowering phenology of Mouriri guianensis (Melastomataceae) and its interaction with the crepuscular bee Megalopta amoena (Halictidae) in the restinga of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mouriri guianensis is a Brazilian endemic plant species distributed throughout the Amazon forest, Caatinga, Mata Atlântica and Cerrado domains, extending northward into Venezuela. The aim of this study was to describe the flowering phenology, floral biology and visitors associated with M. guianensis, highlighting the crepuscular bee species Megalopta amoena. Mouriri guianensis flowers from September to March. The flowering, the details of floral biology and the activities of floral visitors were observed for ten individual plants in December 2013, January-March 2014, September-December 2014 and JanuaryMarch 2015. The flowering peaks occurred in December 2013 and in November-December 2014. Bees were collected in January and February 2015. A total of 86 individuals belonging to six bee species were recorded visiting the flowers, with Xylocopa cearensis making more than one-half of the visits (60%), followed by Melipona subnitida and Megalopta amoena with 21.17% and 9.41% of the visits, respectively. The visitors showed activity peaks between 5:00 and 6:00 AM (66.27%). Buzz pollination was their predominant behavior. Megalopta amoena used its jaws to open the pore and the anther gland. Melipona subnitida used parts of the glands to seal the entrance to the colony. The visitors, except for Augochlopsis sp. and Trigona sp., are pollinators of M. guianensis. Plants having an extended anthesis can attract visitors both day and night. In this study, we present an example of a crepuscular pollination system. We suggest that blooming at twilight is a strategy used by the plant to escape unsuitable visitors. KEYWORDS: Pollination, insect-plant interaction, floral oil, crepuscular foraging. Um total de 86 indivíduos de seis espécies de abelhas foi registrado visitando as flores com Xylocopa cearensis realizando a maioria das visitas (60%), seguida por Melipona subnitida e Megalopta amoena com 21,17% e 9,41%, respectivamente. Os visitantes mostraram picos de atividade entre 5:00 -6:00 h (66,27%). O comportamento predominante foi o de vibração. Megalopta amoena utilizou suas mandíbulas para romper os poros da antera e glândula. Melipona subnitida utilizou partes das glândulas para a vedação da entrada da colônia. Os visitantes, a exceção de Augochlopsis sp. e Trigona sp., são polinizadores de M. guianensis. Plantas com longos períodos de antese podem atrair visitantes diurnos e noturnos. Aqui demonstramos um exemplo de sistema de polinização crepuscular, sugerindo que o fato florir durante o crepúsculo é uma estratégia da planta para escapar de visitantes inoportunos. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Polinização, interação inseto-planta, óleo floral, forrageamento crepuscular. Flowering phenology of Mouriri guianensis (Melastomataceae) and its interaction with the crepuscular bee Megalopta amoena (Halictidae) in the restinga of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil ACTA Fenologia da floração de

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flowering phenology of Mouriri guianensis (Melastomataceae) and its interaction with the crepuscular bee Megalopta amoena (Halictidae) in the restinga of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…4) is aligned with the horizon during flight, it is noteworthy that the photoreceptors in this part of the visual field are predominantly sensitive to vertically polarized light, receive the most focused part of the image (Ribi et al, 2011;Hung and Ibbotson, 2014) and would therefore be able to transmit relatively high spatial frequencies and contrast (Stange et al, 2002;Berry et al, 2007a,b,c;Warrant et al, 2006). In honeybees, four out of five large descending neurons (L-neurons) in the lateral ocelli restrict most of their dendrites to the dorsal retina (Hung and Ibbotson, 2014) and thus include the region of highest photoreceptor density.…”

Section: Regional Distribution Of Preferred E-vector Orientationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional differences in the preferred e-vector orientation of honeybee ocellar photoreceptors

Ogawa

Ribi

Zeil

et al. 2017

Journal of Experimental Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In addition to compound eyes, honeybees (Apis mellifera) possess three single-lens eyes called ocelli located on the top of the head. Ocelli are involved in head-attitude control and in some insects have been shown to provide celestial compass information. Anatomical and early electrophysiological studies have suggested that UV and blue-green photoreceptors in ocelli are polarization sensitive. However, their retinal distribution and receptor characteristics have not been documented. Here, we used intracellular electrophysiology to determine the relationship between the spectral and polarization sensitivity of the photoreceptors and their position within the visual field of the ocelli. We first determined a photoreceptor's spectral response through a series of monochromatic flashes (340-600 nm). We found UV and green receptors, with peak sensitivities at 360 and 500 nm, respectively. We subsequently measured polarization sensitivity at the photoreceptor's peak sensitivity wavelength by rotating a polarizer with monochromatic flashes. Polarization sensitivity (PS) values were significantly higher in UV receptors (3.8± 1.5, N=61) than in green receptors (2.1±0.6, N=60). Interestingly, most receptors with receptive fields below 35 deg elevation were sensitive to vertically polarized light while the receptors with visual fields above 35 deg were sensitive to a wide range of polarization angles. These results agree well with anatomical measurements showing differences in rhabdom orientations between dorsal and ventral retinae. We discuss the functional significance of the distribution of polarization sensitivities across the visual field of ocelli by highlighting the information the ocelli are able to extract from the bee's visual environment.

show abstract

“…[389] Two lateral ocelli are directed to the left and right of the head, while a central (median) ocellus is directed frontally. Due to their fast response time, ocelli are commonly thought to function in flying insects to assist in maintaining flight stability as they are fit to quickly measure changes in perceived brightness ( Figure 17D).…”

Section: Simple Eyes-ocelli As Light Detectorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

It's Not a Bug, It's a Feature: Functional Materials in Insects

2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Over the course of their wildly successful proliferation across the earth, the insects as a taxon have evolved enviable adaptations to their diverse habitats, which include adhesives, locomotor systems, hydrophobic surfaces, and sensors and actuators that transduce mechanical, acoustic, optical, thermal, and chemical signals. Insect‐inspired designs currently appear in a range of contexts, including antireflective coatings, optical displays, and computing algorithms. However, as over one million distinct and highly specialized species of insects have colonized nearly all habitable regions on the planet, they still provide a largely untapped pool of unique problem‐solving strategies. With the intent of providing materials scientists and engineers with a muse for the next generation of bioinspired materials, here, a selection of some of the most spectacular adaptations that insects have evolved is assembled and organized by function. The insects presented display dazzling optical properties as a result of natural photonic crystals, precise hierarchical patterns that span length scales from nanometers to millimeters, and formidable defense mechanisms that deploy an arsenal of chemical weaponry. Successful mimicry of these adaptations may facilitate technological solutions to as wide a range of problems as they solve in the insects that originated them.

show abstract

Ocellar optics in nocturnal and diurnal bees and wasps

Cited by 73 publications

References 42 publications

Flowering phenology of Mouriri guianensis (Melastomataceae) and its interaction with the crepuscular bee Megalopta amoena (Halictidae) in the restinga of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

Flowering phenology of Mouriri guianensis (Melastomataceae) and its interaction with the crepuscular bee Megalopta amoena (Halictidae) in the restinga of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

Regional differences in the preferred e-vector orientation of honeybee ocellar photoreceptors

It's Not a Bug, It's a Feature: Functional Materials in Insects

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About