Visual modelling supports the potential for prey detection by means of diurnal active photolocation in a small cryptobenthic fish
| Autor: | Pierre-Paul Bitton, Matteo Santon, Nico K. Michiels, Sebastian Alejandro Yun Christmann, Ulrike K. Harant |
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| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
Eye Movements
genetic structures Behavioural ecology Photoperiod Prey detection Tripterygion delaisi Foraging Iris lcsh:Medicine Human echolocation Nocturnal Models Biological Article Predation 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Animals Amphipoda 14. Life underwater lcsh:Science 030304 developmental biology Photons 0303 health sciences Electroreception biology Ecology Distance Perception lcsh:R Fishes biology.organism_classification Pattern Recognition Visual Predatory Behavior Radiance Environmental science lcsh:Q Ichthyology 030217 neurology & neurosurgery |
| Zdroj: | Scientific Reports, Vol 9, Iss 1, Pp 1-11 (2019) Scientific Reports |
| DOI: | 10.1101/338640 |
| Popis: | Active sensing has been well documented in animals that use echolocation and electrolocation. Active photolocation, or active sensing using light, has received much less attention, and only in bioluminescent nocturnal species. However, evidence has suggested the diurnal triplefin Tripterygion delaisi uses controlled iris radiance, termed ocular sparks, for prey detection. While this form of diurnal active photolocation was behaviourally described, a study exploring the physical process would provide compelling support for this mechanism. In this paper, we investigate the conditions under which diurnal active photolocation could assist T. delaisi in detecting potential prey. In the field, we sampled gammarids (genus Cheirocratus) and characterized the spectral properties of their eyes, which possess strong directional reflectors. In the laboratory, we quantified ocular sparks size and their angle-dependent radiance. Combined with environmental light measurements and known properties of the visual system of T. delaisi, we modeled diurnal active photolocation under various scenarios. Our results corroborate that diurnal active photolocation should help T. delaisi detect gammarids at distances relevant to foraging, 4.5 cm under favourable conditions and up to 2.5 cm under average conditions. Because ocular sparks are widespread across fish species, diurnal active photolocation for micro-prey may be a common predation strategy. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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