Retinal perception and ecological significance of color vision in insects

•Color vision: more than just Opsins.•Spectral tuning differs between sexes and species, and even within the same eye.•The distribution of different photoreceptor types across the eye is adapted to specific ecological tasks. Color vision relies on the ability to discriminate different wavelengths an...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current opinion in insect science 2017-12, Vol.24, p.75-83
Main Authors: Lebhardt, Fleur, Desplan, Claude
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
color
color vision
eyes
females
insects
lifestyle
males
opsin
photoreceptors
wavelengths
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:•Color vision: more than just Opsins.•Spectral tuning differs between sexes and species, and even within the same eye.•The distribution of different photoreceptor types across the eye is adapted to specific ecological tasks. Color vision relies on the ability to discriminate different wavelengths and is often improved in insects that inhabit well-lit, spectrally rich environments. Although the Opsin proteins themselves are sensitive to specific wavelength ranges, other factors can alter and further restrict the sensitivity of photoreceptors to allow for finer color discrimination and thereby more informed decisions while interacting with the environment. The ability to discriminate colors differs between insects that exhibit different life styles, between female and male eyes of the same species, and between regions of the same eye, depending on the requirements of intraspecific communication and ecological demands.
ISSN:2214-5745
2214-5745
DOI:10.1016/j.cois.2017.09.007