Evolutionary variation in the expression of phenotypically plastic color vision in Caribbean mantis shrimps, genus Neogonodactylus

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2006. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Springer for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Marine Biology 150 (2006): 213-220, doi:10.1007/s00227-006-0313-5.Many animals have color vision systems that are well suited to their local environments. Changes in color vision can occur over long periods (evolutionary time), or over relatively short periods such as during development. A select few animals, including stomatopod crustaceans, are able to adjust their systems of color vision directly in response to varying environmental stimuli. Recently, it has been shown that juveniles of some stomatopod species that inhabit a range of depths can spectrally tune their color vision to local light conditions through spectral changes in filters contained in specialized photoreceptors. The present study quantifies the potential for spectral tuning in adults of three species of Caribbean Neogonodactylus stomatopods that differ in their depth ranges to assess how ecology and evolutionary history influence the expression of phenotypically plastic color vision in adult stomatopods. After 12 weeks in either a full-spectrum “white” or a narrow-spectrum “blue” light treatment, each of the three species evidenced distinctive tuning abilities with respect to the light environment that could be related to its natural depth range. A molecular phylogeny generated using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase C subunit 1 (CO-1) was used to determine whether tuning abilities were phylogenetically or ecologically constrained. Although the sister taxa N. wennerae and N. bredini both exhibited spectral tuning, their ecology (i.e. preferred depth range) strongly influenced the expression of the phenotypically plastic color vision trait. Our results indicate that adult stomatopods have evolved the ability to undergo habitat-specific spectral tuning, allowing rapid facultative physiological modification to suit ecological constraints.This research was funded partially by NSF grant (IBN-0235820) to TWC and Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid to AGC and by the National Coral Reef Institute through a subaward to PHB and RL Caldwell through the NOAA Coastal Ocean Program under award #NA16OA2413, to Nova Southeastern University

Adaptive color vision in Pullosquilla litoralis (Stomatopoda, Lysiosquilloidea) associated with spectral and intensity changes in light environment

Some stomatopod crustacean species that inhabit a range of habitat depths have color vision systems that adapt to changes in ambient light conditions. To date, this change in retinal function has been demonstrated in species within the superfamily Gonodactyloidea in response to varying the spectral range of light. Intrarhabdomal filters in certain ommatidia within the specialized midband of the eye change spectrally, modifying the sensitivity of underlying photoreceptors to match the spectrum of available light. In the present study, we utilized Pullosquilla litoralis, a member of the superfamily Lysiosquilloidea that also has a wide depth range. Individuals were placed within one of three light treatments: (1) full-spectrum, high-intensity `white' light, (2) narrow-spectrum `blue' light and (3) full-spectrum, reduced-intensity `gray' light. After 3 months, the intrarhabdomal filters in Row 3 ommatidia of the midband in blue- and gray-light-treated animals were short-wavelength shifted by 10-20 nm compared with homologous filters in animals in white-light treatments. These spectral changes increase the relative sensitivity of associated photoreceptors in animals that inhabit environments where light spectral range or intensity is reduced. The adaptable color vision system of stomatopods may allow animals to make the best use of the ambient light occurring at their habitat regardless of depth. The major controlling element of the plasticity in lysiosquilloid stomatopod color vision appears to be light intensity rather than spectral distribution.http://jeb.biologists.org/content/206/2/37

Evolutionary variation in the expression of phenotypically plastic color vision in Caribbean mantis shrimps, genus Neogonodactylus

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2006. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Springer for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Marine Biology 150 (2006): 213-220, doi:10.1007/s00227-006-0313-5.Many animals have color vision systems that are well suited to their local environments. Changes in color vision can occur over long periods (evolutionary time), or over relatively short periods such as during development. A select few animals, including stomatopod crustaceans, are able to adjust their systems of color vision directly in response to varying environmental stimuli. Recently, it has been shown that juveniles of some stomatopod species that inhabit a range of depths can spectrally tune their color vision to local light conditions through spectral changes in filters contained in specialized photoreceptors. The present study quantifies the potential for spectral tuning in adults of three species of Caribbean Neogonodactylus stomatopods that differ in their depth ranges to assess how ecology and evolutionary history influence the expression of phenotypically plastic color vision in adult stomatopods. After 12 weeks in either a full-spectrum “white” or a narrow-spectrum “blue” light treatment, each of the three species evidenced distinctive tuning abilities with respect to the light environment that could be related to its natural depth range. A molecular phylogeny generated using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase C subunit 1 (CO-1) was used to determine whether tuning abilities were phylogenetically or ecologically constrained. Although the sister taxa N. wennerae and N. bredini both exhibited spectral tuning, their ecology (i.e. preferred depth range) strongly influenced the expression of the phenotypically plastic color vision trait. Our results indicate that adult stomatopods have evolved the ability to undergo habitat-specific spectral tuning, allowing rapid facultative physiological modification to suit ecological constraints.This research was funded partially by NSF grant (IBN-0235820) to TWC and Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid to AGC and by the National Coral Reef Institute through a subaward to PHB and RL Caldwell through the NOAA Coastal Ocean Program under award #NA16OA2413, to Nova Southeastern University.https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-006-0313-

Adaptive signaling behavior in stomatopods under varying light conditions

Stomatopod crustaceans (mantis shrimp) are aggressive benthic marine predators with extraordinary color vision. When communicating with conspecifics, many stomatopods display conspicuously colored body areas, often in combination with other types of signals such as motion and chemical cues. Some species occupy wide depth ranges (>30 m), where changing light conditions can influence color perception. To test the potential effects of differing ambient lights on signaling behavior, stomatopods (Gonodactylus smithii) interacted with conspecifics in aquaria, under full-spectrum, high intensity light or light restricted in either spectrum or intensity. During intrasexual and intersexual trials in full-spectrum, high intensity light, animals performed more aggressive acts using colored body parts (meral spread, lunge, strike). Stomatopods used significantly more antennular flicking, and performed aggressive acts at reduced distances under restricted light conditions. To compare the use of antennules in visual and chemical communication, additional experiments showed more antennular flicking in response to chemical stimuli from food or conspecifics compared to seawater controls. This response ceased immediately after ablation of antennular chemoreceptors but returned to pre-treatment levels after 5 days of recovery. These findings suggest that stomatopods can vary their use of signals during conspecific interactions under different photic conditions. These inducible, plastic behavioral responses can potentially improve signal transfer in varying light environments.This research was funded partially by NSF grant (IBN-0235820) to TWC and Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid to AGC.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248924450_Adaptive_signaling_behavior_in_stomatopods_under_varying_light_condition

Polarization signals in the marine environment

Although natural light sources produce depolarized light, partially linearly polarized light is naturally abundant in the scenes animals view, being produced by scattering in air or water or by reflection from shiny surfaces. Many species of animals are sensitive to light's polarization, and use this sensitivity to orient themselves using polarization patterns in the atmosphere or underwater. A few animal species have been shown to take this polarization sensitivity to another level of sophistication, seeing the world as a polarization image, analogous to the color images humans and other animals view. This sensory capacity has been incorporated into biological signals by a smaller assortment of species, who use patterns of polarization on their bodies to communicate with conspecific animals. In other words, they use polarization patterns for tasks similar to those for which other animals use biologically produced color patterns. Polarization signals are particularly useful in marine environments, where the spectrum of incident light is variable and unpredictable. Here, cephalopod mollusks (octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish) and stomatopod crustaceans (mantis shrimps) have developed striking patterns of polarization used in communication