Chia-Hao Chang1,2, Yi Ta Shao3,4, Wen-Chung Fu3, Kazuhiko Anraku5, Yeong-Shin Lin1,6, Hong Young Yan3,7. 1. Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan. 2. Department of Biology, St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA. 3. Sensory Physiology Laboratory, Marine Research Station, Academia Sinica, I-Lan, Taiwan. 4. Present Address: Institute of Marine Biology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan. 5. Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan. 6. Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan. 7. Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Institute of Advanced Study, Delmenhorst, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Vision, an important sensory modality of many animals, exhibits plasticity in that it adapts to environmental conditions to maintain its sensory efficiency. Nuptial coloration is used to attract mates and hence should be tightly coupled to vision. In Taiwan, two closely related bitterlings (Paratanakia himantegus himantegus and Paratanakia himantegus chii) with different male nuptial colorations reside in different habitats. We compared the visual spectral sensitivities of these subspecies with the ambient light spectra of their habitats to determine whether their visual abilities correspond with photic parameters and correlate with nuptial colorations. RESULTS: Theelectroretinogram (ERG) results revealed that the relative spectral sensitivity of P.h. himantegus was higher at 670 nm, but lower at 370 nm, than the sensitivity of P. h. chii. Both bitterlings could perceive and reflect UV light, but the UV reflection patterns differed between genders. Furthermore, the relative irradiance intensity of the light spectra in the habitat of P. h. himantegus was higher at long wavelengths (480-700 nm), but lower at short wavelengths (350-450 nm), than the light spectra in the habitats of P. h.chii. CONCLUSIONS: Two phylogenetically closely related bitterlings, P. h. himantegus and P. h. chii, dwell in different waters and exhibit different nuptial colorations and spectral sensitivities, which may be the results of speciation by sensory drive. Sensory ability and signal diversity accommodating photic environment may promote diversity of bitterling fishes. UV light was demonstrated to be a possible component of bitterling visual communication. The UV cue may assist bitterlings in genderidentification.
BACKGROUND: Vision, an important sensory modality of many animals, exhibits plasticity in that it adapts to environmental conditions to maintain its sensory efficiency. Nuptial coloration is used to attract mates and hence should be tightly coupled to vision. In Taiwan, two closely related bitterlings (Paratanakia himantegus himantegus and Paratanakia himantegus chii) with different male nuptial colorations reside in different habitats. We compared the visual spectral sensitivities of these subspecies with the ambient light spectra of their habitats to determine whether their visual abilities correspond with photic parameters and correlate with nuptial colorations. RESULTS: Theelectroretinogram (ERG) results revealed that the relative spectral sensitivity of P.h. himantegus was higher at 670 nm, but lower at 370 nm, than the sensitivity of P. h. chii. Both bitterlings could perceive and reflect UV light, but the UV reflection patterns differed between genders. Furthermore, the relative irradiance intensity of the light spectra in the habitat of P. h. himantegus was higher at long wavelengths (480-700 nm), but lower at short wavelengths (350-450 nm), than the light spectra in the habitats of P. h.chii. CONCLUSIONS: Two phylogenetically closely related bitterlings, P. h. himantegus and P. h. chii, dwell in different waters and exhibit different nuptial colorations and spectral sensitivities, which may be the results of speciation by sensory drive. Sensory ability and signal diversity accommodating photic environment may promote diversity of bitterlingfishes. UV light was demonstrated to be a possible component of bitterling visual communication. The UV cue may assist bitterlings in genderidentification.
Authors: Suzanne M Gray; Lawrence M Dill; Fadly Y Tantu; Ellis R Loew; Fabian Herder; Jeffrey S McKinnon Journal: Proc Biol Sci Date: 2008-08-07 Impact factor: 5.349