Variation and ontogeny of the response to visual stimuli in Mediterranean populations of Talitrus saltator (Montagu) (Crustacea-Amphipoda)

Mezzetti, M. C.; Nardi, M.; Scapini, Felicita

doi:10.1016/s0022-0981(96)02718-9

Cited by 12 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…They play an important ecological role as decomposers of biological debris and are thus considered to be potential bio-indicators of the quality of sandy beaches (Griffiths et al 1983, Ketmaier et al 2003. Their ecological significance has prompted world-wide studies, particularly with regard to the plasticity of their behavioral strategies, which are generally regarded as the animal's first defense against adverse environmental change (Mezzetti et al 1994, Scapini andMarchetti 1995). The factors influencing their spatial sandy beaches have been extensively studied in this respect (Borgioli et al 1999, Fallaci et al 1999, Scapini 1999.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Locomotor rhythm phenology ofTalitrus saltatorfrom two geomorphologically different beaches of Tunisia: Bizerte (North of Tunisia) and Gulf of Gabes (South of Tunisia)

Ayari

Nasri–Ammar

2012

Biological Rhythm Research

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Locomotor activity of the supra-littoral amphipod Talitrus saltator was studied in spring and autumn. Specimens were collected from two geomorphologically different beaches: Bizerte, in the North of Tunisia and the Gulf of Gabes in the South of Tunisia. The latter has the largest tidal amplitude in the Mediterranean basin. Adult individuals were collected by hand and transferred individually to actographs, equipped with an infrared recording system. These were placed in a controlled environment cabinet, where locomotor activity was monitored over a period of 16 days. The resulting endogenous rhythms of locomotor activity showed unimodal circadian and bimodal periods in amphipods from both Bizerte and Gulf of Gabes beaches. In spring, the unimodal activity pattern predominated at Gabes beach, whereas different patterns of activity (unimodal, bimodal, and plurimodal) were obtained among Bizerte population, with almost equal proportions. Highly significant differences between ultradian and circadian rhythmicities were revealed in both Bizerte and Gabes populations. These results are interpreted in the context of locomotor rhythm adaptation to the geomorphological conditions prevailing at the two collection sites.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Locomotor rhythm phenology ofTalitrus saltatorfrom two geomorphologically different beaches of Tunisia: Bizerte (North of Tunisia) and Gulf of Gabes (South of Tunisia)

Ayari

Nasri–Ammar

2012

Biological Rhythm Research

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“…In conjunction with overall activity, visual orientation in response to local cues (e.g. phototaxis and scototaxis) has been shown to vary over the diel cycle, although species, populations and life-history stages differ in the way these responses change over the diel cycle (Mezzetti et al, 1997;Nardi et al, 2000). Although extraretinal photoreception has been reported in talitrids, photoreceptors in the eyes are required for entrainment of activity rhythms and, presumably, for local and celestial orientation as well (Frelon-Raimond et al, 2002;Forward et al, 2009a;Forward et al, 2009b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visual physiology underlying orientation and diel behavior in the sand beach amphipod Talorchestia longicornis

Cohen

Cronin

Lessios

et al. 2010

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYTalitrid amphipods employ vision for zonal recovery behaviors on sand beaches and for entraining circadian activity rhythms. Using a hierarchy of methods, we examined visual spectral and response-intensity functions in Talorchestia longicornis, a species in which orientation and rhythm entrainment are wavelength-specific behaviors. Microspectrophotometry, electroretinogram recording and behavioral assays were used to determine visual pigments, retinal spectral sensitivity and wholeanimal spectral responsivity, respectively. Diel changes in absolute sensitivity were also investigated at retinal and whole-animal levels. Two receptor spectral classes were identified, with values for visual pigment  max of 427 and 518nm. Retinal spectral sensitivity varied with electrode position along the distal-proximal axis. Chromatic adaptation of distal and proximal photoreceptors resulted in sensitivity peaks at 430 and 522nm, respectively. In accordance with identified visual pigments and spectral sensitivity, T. longicornis photobehavioral responsivity covered a broad range (420-580nm). Collectively, a dualpigment visual system underlies wavelength-specific behavior in T. longicornis, with the short-wavelength pigment likely to be localized in the distal R5 retinular cell. While response-intensity functions did not change over the diel cycle at the retinal level, behavioral photoresponsiveness varied between day and night. At a wavelength used by T. longicornis for celestial orientation (420nm), photobehavior was heightened at night, potentially aiding in nocturnal orientation. By contrast, at a wavelength used to entrain its circadian rhythm (520nm) and for routine visual tasks, photobehavior was heightened during the day, and spectral sensitivity matched to the twilight spectrum, facilitating crepuscular vision and entrainment by irradiance at sunrise and sunset.

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“…However, low spatial resolution would be adequate for finding suitable habitats and for positioning within the habitat [60, 62]. Indeed, previous experiments on talitrid amphipods [32, 63] and the results of our phototaxis experiments suggest that Parhyale are able to perform such tasks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Analysis of the genetically tractable crustacean Parhyale hawaiensis reveals the organisation of a sensory system for low-resolution vision

Ramos¹,

Gustafsson²,

N³

et al. 2019

BMC Biol

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Background Arthropod eyes have diversified during evolution to serve multiple needs, such as finding mates, hunting prey and navigating in complex surroundings under varying light conditions. This diversity is reflected in the optical apparatus, photoreceptors and neural circuits that underpin vision. Yet our ability to genetically manipulate the visual system to investigate its function is largely limited to a single species, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster . Here, we describe the visual system of Parhyale hawaiensis , an amphipod crustacean for which we have established tailored genetic tools. Results Adult Parhyale have apposition-type compound eyes made up of ~ 50 ommatidia. Each ommatidium contains four photoreceptor cells with large rhabdomeres (R1–4), expected to be sensitive to the polarisation of light, and one photoreceptor cell with a smaller rhabdomere (R5). The two types of photoreceptors express different opsins, belonging to families with distinct wavelength sensitivities. Using the cis- regulatory regions of opsin genes, we established transgenic reporters expressed in each photoreceptor cell type. Based on these reporters, we show that R1–4 and R5 photoreceptors extend axons to the first optic lobe neuropil, revealing striking differences compared with the photoreceptor projections found in related crustaceans and insects. Investigating visual function, we show that Parhyale have a positive phototactic response and are capable of adapting their eyes to different levels of light intensity. Conclusions We propose that the visual system of Parhyale serves low-resolution visual tasks, such as orientation and navigation, based on broad gradients of light intensity and polarisation. Optic lobe structure and photoreceptor projections point to significant divergence from the typical organisation found in other malacostracan crustaceans and insects, which could be associated with a shift to low-resolution vision. Our study provides the foundation for research in the visual system of this genetically tractable species. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12915-019-0676-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Variation and ontogeny of the response to visual stimuli in Mediterranean populations of Talitrus saltator (Montagu) (Crustacea-Amphipoda)

Cited by 12 publications

References 19 publications

Locomotor rhythm phenology ofTalitrus saltatorfrom two geomorphologically different beaches of Tunisia: Bizerte (North of Tunisia) and Gulf of Gabes (South of Tunisia)

Locomotor rhythm phenology ofTalitrus saltatorfrom two geomorphologically different beaches of Tunisia: Bizerte (North of Tunisia) and Gulf of Gabes (South of Tunisia)

Visual physiology underlying orientation and diel behavior in the sand beach amphipod Talorchestia longicornis

Analysis of the genetically tractable crustacean Parhyale hawaiensis reveals the organisation of a sensory system for low-resolution vision

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