Visual control of steering in the box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora.
(2011) In Journal of Experimental Biology 214(Pt 17). p.2809-2815- Abstract
- Box jellyfish carry an elaborate visual system consisting of 24 eyes, which they use for driving a number of behaviours. However, it is not known how visual input controls the swimming behaviour. In this study we exposed the Caribbean box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora to simple visual stimuli and recorded changes in their swimming behaviour. Animals were tethered in a small experimental chamber, where we could control lighting conditions. The behaviour of the animals was quantified by tracking the movements of the bell, using a high-speed camera. We found that the animals respond predictably to the darkening of one quadrant of the equatorial visual world by (1) increasing pulse frequency, (2) creating an asymmetry in the structure that... (More)
- Box jellyfish carry an elaborate visual system consisting of 24 eyes, which they use for driving a number of behaviours. However, it is not known how visual input controls the swimming behaviour. In this study we exposed the Caribbean box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora to simple visual stimuli and recorded changes in their swimming behaviour. Animals were tethered in a small experimental chamber, where we could control lighting conditions. The behaviour of the animals was quantified by tracking the movements of the bell, using a high-speed camera. We found that the animals respond predictably to the darkening of one quadrant of the equatorial visual world by (1) increasing pulse frequency, (2) creating an asymmetry in the structure that constricts the outflow opening of the bell, the velarium, and (3) delaying contraction at one of the four sides of the bell. This causes the animals to orient their bell in such a way that, if not tethered, they would turn and swim away from the dark area. We conclude that the visual system of T. cystophora has a predictable effect on swimming behaviour. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2151193
- author
- Petie, Ronald LU ; Garm, Anders LU and Nilsson, Dan-E LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2011
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Journal of Experimental Biology
- volume
- 214
- issue
- Pt 17
- pages
- 2809 - 2815
- publisher
- The Company of Biologists Ltd
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000293736200008
- pmid:21832123
- scopus:80051740574
- pmid:21832123
- ISSN
- 1477-9145
- DOI
- 10.1242/jeb.057190
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 3b8397a6-2656-4b41-be83-0aac920d2077 (old id 2151193)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 10:45:36
- date last changed
- 2022-02-10 05:48:56
@article{3b8397a6-2656-4b41-be83-0aac920d2077,
abstract = {{Box jellyfish carry an elaborate visual system consisting of 24 eyes, which they use for driving a number of behaviours. However, it is not known how visual input controls the swimming behaviour. In this study we exposed the Caribbean box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora to simple visual stimuli and recorded changes in their swimming behaviour. Animals were tethered in a small experimental chamber, where we could control lighting conditions. The behaviour of the animals was quantified by tracking the movements of the bell, using a high-speed camera. We found that the animals respond predictably to the darkening of one quadrant of the equatorial visual world by (1) increasing pulse frequency, (2) creating an asymmetry in the structure that constricts the outflow opening of the bell, the velarium, and (3) delaying contraction at one of the four sides of the bell. This causes the animals to orient their bell in such a way that, if not tethered, they would turn and swim away from the dark area. We conclude that the visual system of T. cystophora has a predictable effect on swimming behaviour.}},
author = {{Petie, Ronald and Garm, Anders and Nilsson, Dan-E}},
issn = {{1477-9145}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{Pt 17}},
pages = {{2809--2815}},
publisher = {{The Company of Biologists Ltd}},
series = {{Journal of Experimental Biology}},
title = {{Visual control of steering in the box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora.}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.057190}},
doi = {{10.1242/jeb.057190}},
volume = {{214}},
year = {{2011}},
}