Possum magic : exploring colour vision in the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)

Abstract

Research into the diversity and evolution of mammalian colour vision has become even more exciting with the recent discovery of both trichromatic and dichromatic colour vision in the Australian marsupials. Our knowledge about these colour vision systems is limited, with a number of discrepancies in the research. Methodology issues with some of the anatomical and behavioural studies may have falsely indicated trichromacy. It is also uncertain whether only the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) has dichromatic colour vision, or if dichromacy is represented in a number of marsupials. It is believed that most marsupials can perceive ultraviolet light, yet the transmission properties of ocular media have not yet been measured. In this thesis, I use anatomical and behavioural methods to examine colour vision in the Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). I firstly present a detailed analysis of the spectral transmission of light through the ocular media. Here, I demonstrated the variability of ocular media for three marsupial species: the ultraviolet light sensitive fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata), non-ultraviolet light sensitive tammar wallaby, and common brushtail possum. I then examine the topographical arrangement and spectral sensitivities of photoreceptors in the common brushtail possum. Using opsin antibodies known to label photoreceptors, I show that brushtail possums have an anatomical basis for at least dichromatic colour vision, with both M/LWS ({u03BB}max = 545nm) and SWS cones present in the retina. There is also a small population of unlabelled cones, which may form a third cone population. Their extremely low densities,however, would hardly contribute to visual processing. By tracking cone densities across the retina, I provide the first evidence for regionalisation in both opsin and cell morphology types in an Australian mammal. Finally, I showed functioning dichromatic colour vision with behavioural operant conditioning techniques. Brushtail possums have an innate preference to using brightness rather than colour vision. By introducing spatial information which faded over time, I was able to encourage subjects to choose between colours irrespective of brightness. Both increment-threshold spectral sensitivity and wavelength discrimination experiments indicate their perception of colours is based on dichromatic colour vision. By comparing behavioural and microspectrophotometry results, I conclude that SWS cones peak in sensitivity around 435 nm. This is the first non-macropod known to have a violet, rather than an ultraviolet visual pigment. This thesis confirms a diversity of both trichromatic and dichromatic colour vision in marsupials, with the tammar wallaby not the only marsupial with dichromatic colour vision. I propose that brushtail possums have selectively reduced spectral sensitivity to dichromacy, evidenced by the presence of three cone types, yet perception of colours based on two cone types. The study of marsupial colour vision provides a rich resource for examining the diversity and use of dichromatic and trichromatic colour vision in mammals other than primates. Show more