Summary
In theDrosophila mutantoptomotorblind H31 (omb H31), previously isolated for its defects in the optomotor turning response, the visual giant neurons of the lobula plate are missing or significantly reduced. In particular, fibres homologous to the H-and V-cells ofCalliphora as well as two fibres (M-cells) in the middle plane of the plate are affected.
Optomotor turning reactions in flight and in the walking mode are strongly reduced inomb H31. Also pattern induced orientation is disturbed. In flight this behavior is thought to be controlled by 3 parameters: the response to the position of the pattern, the response to the direction of motion of the pattern and the spontaneous torque fluctuations of the fly. All of these are reduced in the mutant.
Two other visual reactions, the optomotor thrust response and the movement-stimulated landing response can readily be elicited. Althoughomb H31 and wild type differ in certain properties of these responses preliminary experiments indicate that in both cases the response strength is not significantly reduced by the mutation.
These findings confirm the rôle of the H-cells in optomotor turning reactions but question the suggestions based on anatomical and electrophysiological results from big flies that the V-cells are mediating the optomotor thrust response.
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The mutantomb H31 was isolated at the Max-Planck-Institut für biologische Kybernetik, Tübingen in the laboratory of Prof. K.G. Götz who supported this work with suggestions, enthusiasm and instruments. Dr. E. Buchner and C. Straub generously contributed their optomotor thrust experiments. We are further indepted to Dr. J. Blondeau, Dr. E. Buchner, Dr. K.-F. Fischbach, Prof. K. Kirschfeld and Prof. W. Reichardt for critical comments and in particular to Mrs. K. Schulze for preparing the manuscript. This work was supported by a grant from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to M.H.
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Heisenberg, M., Wonneberger, R. & Wolf, R. Optomotor-blindH31—aDrosophila mutant of the lobula plate giant neurons. J. Comp. Physiol. 124, 287–296 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00661379
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00661379