Summary
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1.
A fast action spectrometric method with high resolving power and high reproducibility has been developed: Fourier Interferometric Stimulation (FIS). The method, experimental set-up and application of the new technique on investigations of the spectral sensitivity of insects are discussed.
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2.
FIS intra- and extracellular recordings revealed thatCalliphora erythrocephala's R1/2-6 cells show a fine-structured sensitivity in the UV, with 5 peaks in the range 300–400 nm and probably two at shorter wavelengths (Fig. 6). This can be explained by the absorbance spectrum of retinol being in a special conformation. The peak in the visible spectrum is congruent with the absorbance spectrum of rhodopsin, with a maximum at about 490 nm (Figs. 4, 5, 7).
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3.
Drosophila melanogaster (ERG) also has a fine-structured UV sensitivity due to R1–6 cells. A mutant (rdgB, w) which lacks R1–6 receptors shows a non-structured UV sensitivity evoked by R7 receptors (Fig. 8).
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4.
Ascalaphus macaronius (ERG) shows a non-structured UV sensitivity in the frontal eye due, as is known, to a UV rhodopsin (Fig. 9).
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5.
Cataglyphis bicolor (ERG) has a dual-peaked sensitivity with a non-structured UV peak caused by two rhodopsins (Fig. 10).
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6.
Periplaneta americana (ERG) also has a dual-peaked sensitivity with a non-structured UV peak probably caused by two rhodopsins (Fig. 11).
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7.
The butterfliesPieris brassicae, Aglais urticae andPararge aegeria (ERG) show more complex sensitivities from the UV to the red region of the spectrum (Fig. 12). These sensitivities (with the exception of the sensitivity of the ventral part of the eye ofPieris brassicae) are caused by 3 rhodopsins. The UV peak is non-structured and, like the other peaks, chromatically adaptable (Fig. 13).
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Abbreviations
- AC :
-
alternating current
- ADC :
-
analog-to-digital converter
- DAC :
-
digital-to-analog converter
- DC :
-
direct current
- FFT :
-
Fast Fourier Transform
- FIS :
-
Fourier Interferometric Stimulation
- He-Ne laser :
-
helium neon laser
- rdgB, w :
-
receptor degeneration B, white (Drosophila mutant)
- sev :
-
sevenless (Drosophila mutant)
- WLP :
-
white-light position
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Paul, R., Steiner, A. & Gemperlein, R. Spectral sensitivity ofCalliphora erythrocephala and other insect species studied with Fourier Interferometric Stimulation (FIS). J. Comp. Physiol. 158, 669–680 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00603824
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00603824