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Polarized light orientation by two Hawaiian decapod cephalopods

  • Published:
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Summary

  1. 1.

    Two decapod cephalopoda, Euprymna (a sepiolid) and Sepioteuthis (a squid) have been tested for their orientation behavior in a vertical beam of linearly polarized light and in horizontal light intensity patterns.

  2. 2.

    Like many arthropods these mollusks show four preferential swimming directions relative to the e-vector (0°, 90° and ±45°)

  3. 3.

    Horizontal intensity patterns induce only positive or positive and negative phototactic orientation.

  4. 4.

    When polarized light and intensity patterns are presented together the polarized light response predominates.

  5. 5.

    Polarized light vision in these decapod mollusks is a distinct perceptual process showing remarkable convergence wiht this function in arthropods.

Zusammenfassung

  1. 1.

    Die Orientierung der beiden zehnarmigen Kopffüßer (Decabrachia) Eupyrmna (Sepioidea) und Sepioteuthis (Teuthoidea) zum vertikalen polarisierten Lichtstrahl und zum horizontalen Lichtmuster wurde untersucht.

  2. 2.

    Wie viele Arthropoden verfügen diese Mollusken über vier Vorzugsrichtungen relativ zur Schwingungsrichtung des polarisierten Lichtes (0°, 90° und ±45°).

  3. 3.

    Im horizontalen Lichtmuster waren nur positiv und negativ phototaktische Reaktionen nachzuweisen.

  4. 4.

    Reizen gleichzeitig vertikal polarisiertes Licht und ein horizontales Lichtmuster, dann überwiegt die Reaktion zum polarisierten Licht.

  5. 5.

    Polarisiertes Licht besitzt für diese Cephalopoden eine eigene Qualität. Der Vorgang der Perzeption dieser Sinnesqualität und die zugehörigen Reaktionen haben sich bei Cephalopoden und Arthropoden bemerkenswert konvergent entwickelt.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Hawaii Marine Laboratory, Waikiki, Hawaii

    Rudolf Jander, Karl Daumer & Talbot H. Waterman

  2. Zoologisches Institut der Universität, Katharinenstraße 20, 78 Freiburg i. Br.

    Rudolf Jander & Talbot H. Waterman

  3. Zoologisches Institut der Universität Zürich, Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft

    Talbot H. Waterman

  4. Department of Biology, Yale University, USA

    Talbot H. Waterman

Authors
  1. Rudolf Jander
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  2. Karl Daumer
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  3. Talbot H. Waterman
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Contribution number 178, University of Hawaii Marine Laboratory.

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Jander, R., Daumer, K. & Waterman, T.H. Polarized light orientation by two Hawaiian decapod cephalopods. Zeitschrift für vergleichende Physiologie 46, 383–394 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340466

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340466

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