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Ontogenetic changes in behavioural and histological measures of visual acuity in three species of fish

Ontogenetic changes in behavioural and histological measures of visual acuity in three species of... SynopsisVision plays an important role in the early life history of fishes. We investigated the ontogenetic changes in visual acuity of early life history stages of alewife,Alosa pseudoharengus, yellow perch,Perca flavescens and bloater,Coregonus hoyi, across a range of sizes. Acuities were determined through histological examination of the retinae of larvae. Reactive distances of larvae to prey were estimated through videophotography of their response to prey and were then converted to measurements of visual angle. Both measures of visual ability improved with size (age) for all species. When behavioural and anatomical measures of ability were compared as a function of size, the data indicate that fish are anatomically more capable of seeing objects than the behavioural response suggests. In two of the three species, the relationship between histological acuity and visual angle was not constant. These results may indicate that while vision may limit initial rates of encounter and feeding, increases in visual acuity mean that in older stages limitations on encounter and feeding are more likely to be behavioural. Furthermore, these results indicate that encounter rates based upon histological estimates of visual acuity will be greater than comparable estimates based upon reactive distances. We recommend calculation of encounter rates based upon reactive distances. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Environmental Biology of Fishes Springer Journals

Ontogenetic changes in behavioural and histological measures of visual acuity in three species of fish

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References (43)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © Kluwer Academic Publishers 1993
ISSN
0378-1909
eISSN
1573-5133
DOI
10.1007/bf00000707
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

SynopsisVision plays an important role in the early life history of fishes. We investigated the ontogenetic changes in visual acuity of early life history stages of alewife,Alosa pseudoharengus, yellow perch,Perca flavescens and bloater,Coregonus hoyi, across a range of sizes. Acuities were determined through histological examination of the retinae of larvae. Reactive distances of larvae to prey were estimated through videophotography of their response to prey and were then converted to measurements of visual angle. Both measures of visual ability improved with size (age) for all species. When behavioural and anatomical measures of ability were compared as a function of size, the data indicate that fish are anatomically more capable of seeing objects than the behavioural response suggests. In two of the three species, the relationship between histological acuity and visual angle was not constant. These results may indicate that while vision may limit initial rates of encounter and feeding, increases in visual acuity mean that in older stages limitations on encounter and feeding are more likely to be behavioural. Furthermore, these results indicate that encounter rates based upon histological estimates of visual acuity will be greater than comparable estimates based upon reactive distances. We recommend calculation of encounter rates based upon reactive distances.

Journal

Environmental Biology of Fishes – Springer Journals

Published: May 1, 1993

Keywords: Feeding ability; Reactive distance; Alewife; Alosa pseudoharengus; Yellow perch; Perca flavescens; Bloater; Coregonus hoyi

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