Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles
Comparative Study of the Spectral Sensitivities of Mesopelagic Crustaceans
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1999
Publication Title
Journal of Comparative Physiology A
Keywords
Mesopelagic, Crustacean electrophysiology, Vision, Deep-sea
ISSN
0340-7594
Volume
185
Issue/No.
3
First Page
255
Last Page
265
Abstract
The spectral sensitivities of 12 species of mesopelagic crustaceans were studied by means of electrophysiological recordings. Nine of the species are vertical migrators, while 3 are not, and 9 species possess bioluminescent organs, while 3 are not bioluminescent. All species had a single peak of spectral sensitivity with maxima between 470 nm and 500 nm. There was no apparent correlation between sensitivity maxima and daytime depth distribution, migratory behavior, or the presence or absence of bioluminescent organs. With the exception of the hyperiid amphipod Phronima sedentaria, the spectral sensitivities of these mesopelagic crustaceans demonstrate a better match for maximum sensitivity to bioluminescence than to downwelling light.
Additional Comments
NOAA subgrant #s: NAGL-95-02, UNCW 9410; University of Connecticut award #: NA46RU0146; NSF grant #: OCE-9313972
NSUWorks Citation
Tamara M. Frank and Edith A. Widder. 1999. Comparative Study of the Spectral Sensitivities of Mesopelagic Crustaceans .Journal of Comparative Physiology A , (3) : 255 -265. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facarticles/456.
DOI
10.1007/s003590050385
Comments
©Springer-Verlag 1999