Light and Vision in the Deep-Sea Benthos: II. Vision in Deep-Sea Crustaceans

Authors

Tamara M. Frank, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Sönke Johnsen, Duke University
Thomas W. Cronin, University of Maryland

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of Experimental Biology

ISSN

0022-0949

Publication Date

10-1-2012

Keywords

Vision, Deep-sea, Benthic, Bioluminescence

Abstract

Using new collecting techniques with the Johnson-Sea-Link submersible, eight species of deep-sea benthic crustaceans were collected with intact visual systems. Their spectral sensitivities and temporal resolutions were determined shipboard using electroretinography. Useable spectral sensitivity data were obtained from seven species, and in the dark-adapted eyes, the spectral sensitivity peaks were in the blue region of the visible spectrum, ranging from 470 to 497 nm. Under blue chromatic adaptation, a secondary sensitivity peak in the UV portion of the spectrum appeared for two species of anomuran crabs:Eumunida picta (λ_max 363 nm) and Gastroptychus spinifer (λ_max 383 nm). Wavelength-specific differences in response waveforms under blue chromatic adaptation in these two species suggest that two populations of photoreceptor cells are present. Temporal resolution was determined in all eight species using the maximum critical flicker frequency (CFF_max). The CFF_max for the isopodBooralana tricarinata of 4 Hz proved to be the lowest ever measured using this technique, and suggests that this species is not able to track even slow-moving prey. Both the putative dual visual pigment system in the crabs and the extremely slow eye of the isopod may be adaptations for seeing bioluminescence in the benthic environment.

DOI

10.1242/jeb.072033

Volume

215

Issue

19

First Page

3344

Last Page

3353

Comments

©2012. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd

Additional Comments

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration grant #s: NA050AR4601059, NA07OAR46000289, NA09OAR4600095; National Science Foundation grant #s: OCE-0852138, IOS-0721608; Office of Naval Research grant #: N00014-09-1-1053; Air Force Office of Scientific Research grant #: FA9550-09-1-0149

NSUWorks Citation

Tamara M. Frank, Sönke Johnsen, and Thomas W. Cronin. 2012. Light and Vision in the Deep-Sea Benthos: II. Vision in Deep-Sea Crustaceans .Journal of Experimental Biology , (19) : 3344 -3353. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facarticles/396.