The Ecology of Polarisation Vision in Birds

Åkesson, Susanne

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-54718-8_12

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 91 publications

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“…But holes in silver scale of C. acuta Moore can reduce the anisotropy through lowering the difference of volume fraction of chitin between top and bottom parts of upper layer (Figure S8b, Supporting Information). Since many predators can recognize polarized light, this nature of C. acuta Moore may contribute to better conceal.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bright Silver Brilliancy from Irregular Microstructures in Butterfly Curetis acuta Moore

Liu

Wang

Yang

et al. 2019

Advanced Optical Materials

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Structural whiteness in nature is one of the useful optical phenomena contributed by refined microstructures and serves important biological functions. However, whiteness residing in wings, antennae, and bodies of butterflies often draws less attention, with undetected physical mechanisms and applications. Here, it is discovered that bright silver scales on the ventral side of butterfly Curetis acuta Moore have enhanced broadband reflection with particular angle dependency, which is dominated by the irregularity of scales. The broadband reflection is the result of color mixing effect caused by laminated scales with irregular layer space and thickness. The special angle dependency suggests that the reflection intensity changes with azimuth angles but remains unvaried at different viewing angles along given direction. This is the consequence of diffraction caused by ridges and irregular holes on the scales, which generates the shining effect and extends the viewing angle of broadband reflection. The characteristic reflection property is speculated to be used for intraspecific communication. Furthermore, it is found that the broadband reflection property of the silver scales is helpful to lower the body temperature under direct sunshine. These findings for light and thermo controlling would offer a potential strategy to design bioinspired advanced materials for low‐energy, reflectance‐based applications.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bright Silver Brilliancy from Irregular Microstructures in Butterfly Curetis acuta Moore

Liu

Wang

Yang

et al. 2019

Advanced Optical Materials

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“…The suggested polarization sensitivity in birds is due to specialized oil droplets present in the optic path of only one of the cone photoreceptors in the specialized cone pair [15,16,17,18](Young and Martin 1984; Cameron and Pugh, 1991; Zueva at al. 2003; Åkesson, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Model of polarization selectivity of the intermediate filament optical channels

Khmelinskii¹,

Zueva²,

Inyushin³

et al. 2015

Photonics and Nanostructures - Fundamentals and Applications

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Recently we have analyzed light transmission and spectral selectivity by optical channels in Müller cells and other transparent cells, proposing a model of their structure, formed by specialized intermediate filaments [1,2]. Our model represents each optical channel by an axially symmetric tube with conductive walls. Presently, we analyze the planar polarization selectivity in long nanostructures, using the previously developed approach extended to structures of the elliptic cross-section. We find that the output light polarization angle depends on the a/b ratio, with a and b the semiaxes of the ellipse. Experimental tests used a Cr nano-strip device to evaluate the transmitted light polarization. The model adapted to the experimental geometry provided an accurate fit of the experimental results.

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“…It is commonly accepted that migratory birds use information from the skylight polarization pattern as a directional reference to determine departure direction and for compass calibration (reviewed by Muheim, 2011;Åkesson, 2014). Studies testing the involvement of skylight polarization information in migratory orientation and homing typically include manipulated polarization patterns as directional cues, thus exploiting an innate or an already learned behavioural response to naturally existing stimuli (Able, 1982;Phillips and Waldvogel, 1988;Phillips and Moore, 1992;Able and Able, 1993;Munro and Wiltschko, 1995;Muheim et al, 2006aMuheim et al, , 2009; reviewed by Muheim et al, 2006b;Muheim, 2011).…”

Section: Possible Explanations For the Inability Of The Birds To Discmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also, there is little evidence for ordered arrays of vertebrate photoreceptors comparable to the dorsal rim area found in many insects. Nevertheless, there is behavioural and physiological evidence for polarization sensitivity from all classes of vertebrates, apart from mammals (with the exception of humans) (for recent reviews, see Muheim, 2011;Åkesson, 2014;McGregor et al, 2014;Meyer-Rochow, 2014a;Meyer-Rochow, 2014b;Roberts, 2014). Amphibian and reptilian polarization sensitivity is primarily mediated by extraocular photoreceptors in the pineal gland (Adler and Taylor, 1973;Taylor and Adler, 1978), the frontal organ (Taylor and Ferguson, 1970;Justis and Taylor, 1976) and in the parietal eye (Freake, 1999;Beltrami et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Birds have been shown to use directional information from the skylight polarization patterns for compass orientation and as a calibration reference for their magnetic compass (Able, 1982;Phillips and Waldvogel, 1988;Phillips and Moore, 1992;Able and Able, 1993;Munro and Wiltschko, 1995;Muheim et al, 2006aMuheim et al, , 2009; reviewed by Muheim et al, 2006b;Muheim, 2011;Åkesson, 2014). Two early investigations found positive responses to polarized light stimuli in pigeons (Columba livia) trained to discriminate between light from rotating and fixed polarization filters (Kreithen and Keeton, 1974) or the orientation axis of linearly polarized light (Delius et al, 1976).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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No response to linear polarization cues in operant conditioning experiments with zebra finches

Melgar

Lind

Muheim

2015

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Many animals can use the polarization of light in various behavioural contexts. Birds are well known to use information from the skylight polarization pattern for orientation and compass calibration. However, there are few controlled studies of polarization vision in birds, and the majority of them have not been successful in convincingly demonstrating polarization vision. We used a two-alternative forced choice conditioning approach to assess linear polarization vision in male zebra finches in the 'visible' spectral range (wavelengths >400 nm). The birds were trained to discriminate colour, brightness and polarization stimuli presented on either one of two LCD-screens. All birds were able to discriminate the colour and brightness stimuli, but they were unable to discriminate the polarization stimuli. Our results suggest that in the behavioural context studied here, zebra finches are not able to discriminate polarized light stimuli.

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The Ecology of Polarisation Vision in Birds

Cited by 10 publications

References 91 publications

Bright Silver Brilliancy from Irregular Microstructures in Butterfly Curetis acuta Moore

Bright Silver Brilliancy from Irregular Microstructures in Butterfly Curetis acuta Moore

Model of polarization selectivity of the intermediate filament optical channels

No response to linear polarization cues in operant conditioning experiments with zebra finches

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