Polarized light perception and orientation in larval bullfrogs Rana catesbeiana

Auburn, Jill Shore; Taylor, Douglas H.

doi:10.1016/0003-3472(79)90003-4

Cited by 26 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Some vertebrates have been shown to respond to polarized light patterns (reviewed by Horváth and Varjú, 2004), such as several species of fish (Hawryshyn, 2000;Flamarique and Harosi, 2002), amphibians (Auburn and Taylor, 1979;Taylor and Adler, 1973) and birds (Kreithen and Keeton, 1974;Phillips and Waldvogel, 1988), although the question of polarization sensitivity or vision in birds is still a matter of controversy (Coemans and Vos, 1992;Hzn et al, 1995).…”

Section: Evidence For Polarization Vision In Cephalopodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do cephalopods communicate using polarized light reflections from their skin?

Mäthger

Shashar

Hanlon

2009

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SummaryCephalopods (squid, cuttlefish and octopus) are probably best known for their ability to change color and pattern for camouflage and communication. This is made possible by their complex skin, which contains pigmented chromatophore organs and structural light reflectors (iridophores and leucophores). Iridophores create colorful and linearly polarized reflective patterns. Equally interesting, the photoreceptors of cephalopod eyes are arranged in a way to give these animals the ability to detect the linear polarization of incoming light. The capacity to detect polarized light may have a variety of functions, such as prey detection, navigation, orientation and contrast enhancement. Because the skin of cephalopods can produce polarized reflective patterns, it has been postulated that cephalopods could communicate intraspecifically through this visual system. The term 'hidden' or 'private' communication channel has been given to this concept because many cephalopod predators may not be able to see their polarized reflective patterns. We review the evidence for polarization vision as well as polarization signaling in some cephalopod species and provide examples that tend to support the notion -currently unproven -that some cephalopods communicate using polarized light signals.

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Section: Evidence For Polarization Vision In Cephalopodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do cephalopods communicate using polarized light reflections from their skin?

Mäthger

Shashar

Hanlon

2009

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Many different sensorial cues are used by amphibians to learn the Y-axis direction, including the use of a sun compass (Ferguson and Landreth 1966;Ferguson et al 1967;Landreth and Ferguson 1968;Adler 1976), sky polarization patterns (Taylor and Ferguson 1970;Taylor 1972;Adler and Taylor 1973;Taylor and Adler 1973;Auburn and Taylor 1979) and a magnetic compass (Phillips 1986b;Deutschlander et al 2000;Freake et al 2002). Like in most groups of vertebrates (Wiltschko and Wiltschko 1995;Diego-Rasilla 2004), the use of the geomagnetic field for orientation seems to be a widespread capability among amphibians (Sinsch 1991).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Use of a magnetic compass for Y-axis orientation in premetamorphic newts (Triturus boscai)

Rodríguez-García

Diego-Rasilla

2005

J Ethol

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Experiments were carried out to investigate whether premetamorphic larvae of Bosca's newt (Triturus boscai) are capable of using the geomagnetic field for Y-axis orientation (i.e., orientation toward and away from shore). Larvae were trained outdoor in two different training configurations, using one training tank aligned along the magnetic north-south axis, with shore facing north, and another training tank positioned with its length along the east-west axis, with shore located west. After training, premetamorphic newts were tested in an outdoor circular arena surrounded by a pair of orthogonally aligned cube-surface coils used to alter the alignment of the Earth's magnetic field. Each newt was tested only once, in one of four magnetic field alignments: ambient magnetic field (i.e., magnetic north at North), and three altered fields (magnetic north rotated to East, West, South). Distributions of magnetic bearings from tested larvae indicated that they oriented bimodally along the magnetic direction of the trained Yaxis. These findings demonstrate that T. boscai larvae are sensitive to the geomagnetic field and can use it for orienting along a learned Y-axis. This study is the first to provide evidence of Y-axis orientation, accomplished by a magnetic compass, in larval urodeles.

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“…A number of vertebrates have also been shown to be sensitive to polarized light, including amphibians [21,22], fish (for a recent comprehensive review see [23]) as well as birds ( [24][25][26]; but see conflicting reports: [27,28]). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An unsuccessful attempt to elicit orientation responses to linearly polarized light in hatchling loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta)

Mäthger

Lohmann

Limpus

et al. 2011

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Sea turtles undertake long migrations in the open ocean, during which they rely at least partly on magnetic cues for navigation. In principle, sensitivity to polarized light might be an additional sensory capability that aids navigation. Furthermore, polarization sensitivity has been linked to ultraviolet (UV) light perception which is present in sea turtles. Here, we tested the ability of hatchling loggerheads (Caretta caretta) to maintain a swimming direction in the presence of broad-spectrum polarized light. At the start of each trial, hatchling turtles, with their magnetic sense temporarily impaired by magnets, successfully established a steady course towards a lightemitting diode (LED) light source while the polarized light field was present. When the LED was removed, however, hatchlings failed to maintain a steady swimming direction, even though the polarized light field remained. Our results have failed to provide evidence for polarized light perception in young sea turtles and suggest that alternative cues guide the initial migration offshore.

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Polarized light perception and orientation in larval bullfrogs Rana catesbeiana

Cited by 26 publications

References 20 publications

Do cephalopods communicate using polarized light reflections from their skin?

Do cephalopods communicate using polarized light reflections from their skin?

Use of a magnetic compass for Y-axis orientation in premetamorphic newts (Triturus boscai)

An unsuccessful attempt to elicit orientation responses to linearly polarized light in hatchling loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta)

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