Visual control of steering in the box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora
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Visual control of steering in the box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora. / Petie, Ronald; Garm, Anders; Nilsson, Dan-Eric.
I: Journal of Experimental Biology, Bind 214, Nr. Pt 17, 2011, s. 2809-15.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Visual control of steering in the box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora
AU - Petie, Ronald
AU - Garm, Anders
AU - Nilsson, Dan-Eric
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Box jellyfish carry an elaborate visual system consisting of 24 eyes, which they use for driving a number of behaviours. However, it is not known how visual input controls the swimming behaviour. In this study we exposed the Caribbean box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora to simple visual stimuli and recorded changes in their swimming behaviour. Animals were tethered in a small experimental chamber, where we could control lighting conditions. The behaviour of the animals was quantified by tracking the movements of the bell, using a high-speed camera. We found that the animals respond predictably to the darkening of one quadrant of the equatorial visual world by (1) increasing pulse frequency, (2) creating an asymmetry in the structure that constricts the outflow opening of the bell, the velarium, and (3) delaying contraction at one of the four sides of the bell. This causes the animals to orient their bell in such a way that, if not tethered, they would turn and swim away from the dark area. We conclude that the visual system of T. cystophora has a predictable effect on swimming behaviour.
AB - Box jellyfish carry an elaborate visual system consisting of 24 eyes, which they use for driving a number of behaviours. However, it is not known how visual input controls the swimming behaviour. In this study we exposed the Caribbean box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora to simple visual stimuli and recorded changes in their swimming behaviour. Animals were tethered in a small experimental chamber, where we could control lighting conditions. The behaviour of the animals was quantified by tracking the movements of the bell, using a high-speed camera. We found that the animals respond predictably to the darkening of one quadrant of the equatorial visual world by (1) increasing pulse frequency, (2) creating an asymmetry in the structure that constricts the outflow opening of the bell, the velarium, and (3) delaying contraction at one of the four sides of the bell. This causes the animals to orient their bell in such a way that, if not tethered, they would turn and swim away from the dark area. We conclude that the visual system of T. cystophora has a predictable effect on swimming behaviour.
KW - Animals
KW - Caribbean Region
KW - Cubozoa
KW - Light
KW - Swimming
KW - Visual Perception
U2 - 10.1242/jeb.057190
DO - 10.1242/jeb.057190
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 21832123
VL - 214
SP - 2809
EP - 2815
JO - Journal of Experimental Biology
JF - Journal of Experimental Biology
SN - 0022-0949
IS - Pt 17
ER -
ID: 37367606