Electrical correlates of neural superposition in the eye of the flySarcophaga bullata

✍ Scribed by Mote, Michael I.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1970
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 754 KB
• Volume: 175
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.1401750205

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Responses to light at focal recording sites in the lamina ganglionaris of the fly Sarcophaga bullata were investigated as a function of geometrical parameters of the stimulus. The mean receptive angle of the laminar response was 12° at 50% response, or about twice the value observed in single retinular units of other species, but in some cases it approached the 6° values reported for single retinular cells. Illumination of areas on the surface of the eye with focused light indicated that sensitivity at the recording site was greatest to illumination of certain facets distributed asymmetrically within the area, and forming an oblong or elliptical pattern. Simultaneously illuminated pairs of facets did not provide strong evidence for lateral interaction. Results are discussed in light of predictions made on the basis of the neural superposition model of Kirschfeld, and it is concluded that the response recorded in the lamina is representative of activity expected from the optic cartridges located in that region.