This paper presents the first evidence of tetrachromacy among invertebrates. The Japanese yellow swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus , uses colour vision when foraging. retina is furnished with eight varieties spectral receptors six classes that are ultraviolet (UV), violet, blue (narrow-band and wide-band), green (single-peaked double-peaked), red broad-band classes. We investigated whether all involved in by measuring wavelength discrimination ability foraging . trained to take nectar...

Significance Human color vision is tri-chromatic, with three opsins expressed in cone photoreceptors that are sensitive the red, green, and blue region of spectrum. As theories predict, such tri- or tetra-chromacy four opsin genes common among mammals, birds, other animals, including insects. However, we discovered dragonflies possess as many 15–33 have evolved through dynamic gene multiplications losses within lineage dragonflies. These differentially between adult larva, well dorsal...

The principal eyes of jumping spiders have a unique retina with four tiered photoreceptor layers, on each which light different wavelengths is focused by lens appreciable chromatic aberration. We found that all photoreceptors in both the deepest and second-deepest layers contain green-sensitive visual pigment, although green only layer. This mismatch indicates layer always receives defocused images, depth information scene optical theory. Behavioral experiments revealed perception spider was...

ABSTRACT This paper demonstrates that foraging summer-form females of the Japanese yellow swallowtail butterfly Papilio xuthus have colour vision. The butterflies were trained to feed on sucrose solution placed a disk particular in cage set laboratory. After few such training runs, was presented with randomly positioned within an array disks other colours, but no solution. results indicate learn rapidly select reliably among different colours. also correctly selected when it covered neutral...

Many migrating animals use a sun compass for long-range navigation. One of the guiding cues used by insects is polarization pattern blue sky. In desert locust Schistocerca gregaria, neurons central complex, neuropil in center brain, are sensitive to polarized light and might serve key role Visual pathways complex include signal processing upper lower units anterior optic tubercle. To determine whether these carry polarization-vision signals, we have recorded responses interneurons tubercle...

Visually guided behaviors require the brain to extract features of visual world and integrate them in a context-specific manner. Hymenopteran insects have been prime models for ethological research into decades but knowledge about underlying central processing is very limited. This particularly case sky-compass navigation. To learn more information general specifically reveal possible polarization vision pathway bee brain, we used tracer injections investigate pathways through anterior optic...

ABSTRACT Papilio butterflies depend highly on visual information in their flower‐foraging behavior. The retina of xuthus has been studied well, whereas the system brain is poorly understood. By investigating outputs from optic lobe to central brain, we found that mushroom body P. receives prominent direct inputs addition olfactory inputs. consists three components: calyx, pedunculus, and lobes. calyx further subdivided into two cup‐shaped primary calyces an accessory calyx. Each concentric...

The compound eye of the butterfly Papilio xuthus consists three different types ommatidia, each containing nine photoreceptor cells (R1-R9). We have found previously that R5-R8 photoreceptors type II ommatidia coexpress two mRNAs, encoding opsins green- and orange-red-absorbing visual pigments (Kitamoto et al., 1998). Do these contain functionally distinct pigments? First, we identified sensitivity spectrum by using combined intracellular recording dye injection. thus a characteristic...

SUMMARY Many migrating animals employ a celestial compass mechanism for spatial navigation. Behavioral experiments in bees and ants have shown that sun navigation may rely on the spectral gradient sky as well pattern of polarization. While polarized-light sensitive interneurons(POL neurons) been identified brain several insect species,there are at present no data neural basis coding sky. In study we analyzed chromatic properties two POL neurons desert locust. Both neurons, termed TuTu1...

Summary The compound eyes of the Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow butterfly, Colias erate, contain three types ommatidia (I, II and III), identifiable by differing arrangements pigment clusters around rhabdoms. color is red in all ommatidial except for type females, where orange. Intracellular recordings demonstrated that spectral sensitivities proximal photoreceptors (R5-8) both sexes are strongly tuned perirhabdomal pigments. These pigments act as long-pass filters, shifting peak into...

The compound eye of the Japanese yellow swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus, consists different types ommatidia characterized by pigmentation around rhabdom. About 75% harbor red pigment, whereas other 25% contain pigment. We find that pigments function as spectral filters for proximal photoreceptor cells. Intracellular recordings cells yielded sensitivities peaking in (λmax = 600 nm) and green 520 nm), respectively. Staining recorded subsequent histology demonstrated receptors pigment...

The human eye is insensitive to the angular direction of light e-vector, but several animal species have ability discriminate differently polarized lights. How polarization detected often unclear, however. Egg-laying Papilio butterflies been shown see false colours when presented with Here we asked whether this also holds in foraging butterflies. After training individuals feed on nectar front an unpolarized spectral light, carried out three dual-choice tests, where discrimination (i)...

Abstract For compass orientation many insects rely on the pattern of sky polarization but some species also exploit chromatic contrast. Desert locusts, Schistocerca gregaria, detect polarized light through a specialized dorsal rim area (DRA) in their compound eye. To better understand retinal mechanisms underlying visual navigation, we compared opsin expression, spectral and sensitivities response-stimulus intensity functions DRA main retina locust. In addition to previously characterized...

ABSTRACT We have recently shown that the Japanese yellow swallowtail butterfly Papilio xuthus uses colour vision when searching for food. In field, these butterflies feed on nectar provided by flowers of various colours not only in direct sunlight but also shaded places and cloudy days, suggesting they constancy. Here, we tested this hypothesis. trained newly emerged to sucrose solution a paper patch certain under white illumination. The were then both coloured Under illumination, yellow-...

Flower-visiting insects exhibit innate preferences for particular colours. A previous study demonstrated that naive Papilio xuthus females prefer yellow and red, whereas males are more attracted to blue. Here, we demonstrate the colour preference can be modified by olfactory stimuli in a sexually dimorphic manner. Naive P. were presented with four coloured discs: blue, green, red. The (i.e. first landed on) of majority individuals was When scent from essential oils either orange flower or...