Physiological and psychophysical spectral sensitivities of the cichlid fish,Hemichromis bimaculatus

✍ Scribed by Bell, David M.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 279 KB
• Volume: 223
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.1402230105

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Electrophysiological and psychophysical spectral sensitivities of the teleost Hemichromis bimaculatus (Pisces; Cichlidae) were determined by measurement of electroretinogram b‐wave magnitude and optomotor response threshold. The physiological and behavioral curves exhibit trivariance and trichromacy, respectively, with peaks occurring in the 460–478, 546, and 623–646 nm spectral regions. A 20‐nm shift to the red is seen in the physiological curves upon strong light adaptation, accompanied by an order of magnitude decline in overall sensitivity. Photopic physiological and behavioral sensitivities correspond in sensitivity, but differ in dominant peaks, with the red and green spectral sensitivities dominating the respective curves. The common spectral peaks correspond with suspected vertebrate photopigments, correlate with the visually oriented nuptial and parental behaviors of the cichlids, and imply cone dominance in the retina of this teleost.