Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Alternative use of chromatic and achromatic cues in a hawkmoth

Kelber, Almut LU (2005) In Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences 272(1577). p.2143-2147
Abstract
The diurnal hummingbird hawkmoth Macroglossum stellatarum can learn the achromatic (intensity-related) and the chromatic (wavelength-related) aspect of a spectral colour. Free-flying moths learn to discriminate two colours differing in the chromatic aspect of colour fast and with high precision. In contrast, they learn the discrimination of two stimuli differing in the achromatic aspect more slowly and less reliably. When trained to use the chromatic aspect, they disregard the achromatic aspect, and when trained to use the achromatic aspect, they disregard the chromatic aspect, at least to some degree. In a conflicting situation, hummingbird hawkmoths clearly rely on the chromatic aspect of colour. Generally, the moths pay attention to the... (More)
The diurnal hummingbird hawkmoth Macroglossum stellatarum can learn the achromatic (intensity-related) and the chromatic (wavelength-related) aspect of a spectral colour. Free-flying moths learn to discriminate two colours differing in the chromatic aspect of colour fast and with high precision. In contrast, they learn the discrimination of two stimuli differing in the achromatic aspect more slowly and less reliably. When trained to use the chromatic aspect, they disregard the achromatic aspect, and when trained to use the achromatic aspect, they disregard the chromatic aspect, at least to some degree. In a conflicting situation, hummingbird hawkmoths clearly rely on the chromatic aspect of colour. Generally, the moths pay attention to the most reliable cue that allows them to discriminate colours in the learning situation. This is usually the chromatic aspect of the colour but they can learn to attend to the achromatic aspect instead. There is no evidence for relative colour learning, i.e. moths do not learn to choose the longer or shorter of two wavelengths, but it is possible that they learn to choose the darker or brighter shade of a colour, and thereby its relative intensities. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
hawkmoths, sphingids, chromatic vision, Macroglossum stellatarum, achromatic vision, colour vision
in
Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences
volume
272
issue
1577
pages
2143 - 2147
publisher
Royal Society Publishing
external identifiers
  • pmid:16191627
  • wos:000232634600005
  • scopus:26944491429
  • pmid:16191627
ISSN
1471-2954
DOI
10.1098/rspb.2005.3207
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f9b56876-8987-46f5-aba0-44a4c64e2784 (old id 216799)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:23:07
date last changed
2022-03-22 18:21:29
@article{f9b56876-8987-46f5-aba0-44a4c64e2784,
  abstract     = {{The diurnal hummingbird hawkmoth Macroglossum stellatarum can learn the achromatic (intensity-related) and the chromatic (wavelength-related) aspect of a spectral colour. Free-flying moths learn to discriminate two colours differing in the chromatic aspect of colour fast and with high precision. In contrast, they learn the discrimination of two stimuli differing in the achromatic aspect more slowly and less reliably. When trained to use the chromatic aspect, they disregard the achromatic aspect, and when trained to use the achromatic aspect, they disregard the chromatic aspect, at least to some degree. In a conflicting situation, hummingbird hawkmoths clearly rely on the chromatic aspect of colour. Generally, the moths pay attention to the most reliable cue that allows them to discriminate colours in the learning situation. This is usually the chromatic aspect of the colour but they can learn to attend to the achromatic aspect instead. There is no evidence for relative colour learning, i.e. moths do not learn to choose the longer or shorter of two wavelengths, but it is possible that they learn to choose the darker or brighter shade of a colour, and thereby its relative intensities.}},
  author       = {{Kelber, Almut}},
  issn         = {{1471-2954}},
  keywords     = {{hawkmoths; sphingids; chromatic vision; Macroglossum stellatarum; achromatic vision; colour vision}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1577}},
  pages        = {{2143--2147}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society Publishing}},
  series       = {{Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences}},
  title        = {{Alternative use of chromatic and achromatic cues in a hawkmoth}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2005.3207}},
  doi          = {{10.1098/rspb.2005.3207}},
  volume       = {{272}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}