Abstract
(1) The spectral sensitivity function for the compound eye of the crayfish has been determined by recording the retinal action potentials elicited by monochromatic stimuli. Its peak lies at approximately 570 mµ. (2) Similar measurements made on lobster eyes yield functions with maxima in the region of 520 to 525 mµ, which agree well with the absorption spectrum of lobster rhodopsin if minor allowances are made for distortion by known screening pigments. (3) The crayfish sensitivity function, since it is unaffected by selective monochromatic light adaptation, must be determined by a single photosensitive pigment. The absorption maximum of this pigment may be inferred with reasonable accuracy from the sensitivity data. (4) The visual pigment of the crayfish thus has its maximum absorption displaced by 50 to 60 mµ towards the red end of the spectrum from that of the lobster and other marine crustacea. This shift parallels that found in both rod and cone pigments between fresh water and marine vertebrates. In the crayfish, however, an altered protein is responsible for the shift and not a new carotenoid chromophore as in the vertebrates. (5) The existence of this situation in a new group of animals (with photoreceptors which have been evolved independently from those of vertebrates) strengthens the view that there may be strong selection for long wavelength visual sensitivity in fresh water.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (806.2 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- BARLOW H. B. Purkinje shift and retinal noise. Nature. 1957 Feb 2;179(4553):255–256. doi: 10.1038/179255b0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- GOLDSMITH T. H. The nature of the retinal action potential, and the spectral sensitivities of ultraviolet and green receptor systems of the compound eye of the worker honey-bee. J Gen Physiol. 1960 Mar;43:775–799. doi: 10.1085/jgp.43.4.775. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HUBBARD R. Bleaching of rhodopsin by light and by heat. Nature. 1958 Apr 19;181(4616):1126–1126. doi: 10.1038/1811126a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HUBBARD R., ST GEORGE R. C. The rhodopsin system of the squid. J Gen Physiol. 1958 Jan 20;41(3):501–528. doi: 10.1085/jgp.41.3.501. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HUBBARD R., WALD G. Visual pigment of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus. Nature. 1960 Apr 16;186:212–215. doi: 10.1038/186212b0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- KENNEDY D. A comparative study on spectral sensitivity in tadpoles and adult frogs. J Cell Physiol. 1957 Aug;50(1):155–165. doi: 10.1002/jcp.1030500112. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- KENNEDY D. Neural photoreception in a lamellibranch mollusc. J Gen Physiol. 1960 Nov;44:277–299. doi: 10.1085/jgp.44.2.277. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WALD G., BROWN P. K., KENNEDY D. The visual system of the alligator. J Gen Physiol. 1957 May 20;40(5):703–713. doi: 10.1085/jgp.40.5.703. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WALD G., BROWN P. K., SMITH P. H. Cyanopsin, a new pigment of cone vision. Science. 1953 Oct 30;118(3070):505–508. doi: 10.1126/science.118.3070.505. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WALD G., HUBBARD R. Visual pigment of a decapod crustacean: the lobster. Nature. 1957 Aug 10;180(4580):278–280. doi: 10.1038/180278a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WALD G. The metamorphosis of visual systems in the sea lamprey. J Gen Physiol. 1957 Jul 20;40(6):901–914. doi: 10.1085/jgp.40.6.901. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WALD G. The significance of vertebrate metamorphosis. Science. 1958 Dec 12;128(3337):1481–1490. doi: 10.1126/science.128.3337.1481. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]