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Optomotor reaction, locomotory bias, and reactive inhibition in the milkweed bug Ooncopeltus and the beetle Zophobas

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Summary

  1. 1.

    Reactive inhibition in a locomotory turn choice situation in the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus is shown probably to be no more than the delayed optomotor reaction which follows an induced turn. The two reactions have similar time constants of decay. Neither reaction occurs in infrared light or in blinded specimens of Oncopeltus.

  2. 2.

    In two situations of open-loop optomotor feedback conditions, individual Oncopeltus often show strong turning biases. In infrared light they may walk in circles. In ordinary light on the Y maze globe they make significantly long runs of turns in a single direction. When freed in ordinary light, the same individuals do not exhibit the bias. Apparently, the optomotor reaction can correct this central error.

  3. 3.

    The larvae of the beetle Zophobas rugipes do not exhibit an optomotor response. They do show a strong reactive inhibition which must therefore depend upon some other input modality. Adults of Zophobas do have an optomotor reaction, but they show reactive inhibition in turn choices even in infrared light.

  4. 4.

    Locomotory reactive inhibition depends upon different input modalities in different species of insects.

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Author notes

  1. Donald M. Wilson & Ronald R. Hoy

    Present address: Department of Biology, Stanford University, 94305, Stanford, Californa, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bioinformation Systems Group, Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park, California

    Donald M. Wilson & Ronald R. Hoy

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  1. Donald M. Wilson
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  2. Ronald R. Hoy
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Additional information

The two Tribolium species were donated by John Ogden. The Zophobas rugipes were originally collected in Costa Rica by Walter Tschinkel, and he and Clyde Willson supplied us with specimens from their colony. The Oncopeltus were given by Elmer Cummings of Stauffer Chemical Company.

The principal financial support for this study came from the Life Sciences Directorate of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, under Contract AF 49 (638)-1453 to Stanford Research Institute, with Dr. James Bliss as Project Leader. However, in a portion of the work on Zophobas were assisted by Geraldine Takata who received support from AFOSR Grant 1246 to D. M. Wilson.

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Wilson, D.M., Hoy, R.R. Optomotor reaction, locomotory bias, and reactive inhibition in the milkweed bug Ooncopeltus and the beetle Zophobas . Z. Vergl. Physiol. 58, 136–152 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00302437

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00302437

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