Photoreceptor topography and spectral sensitivity in the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)

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dc.contributor.authorVlahos, Lisa
dc.contributor.authorKnott, Ben
dc.contributor.authorValter (Valter-Kocsi), Krisztina
dc.contributor.authorHemmi, Jan
dc.date.accessioned2015-12-13T22:31:02Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.date.updated2015-12-11T08:58:35Z
dc.description.abstractMarsupials are believed to be the only non-primate mammals with both trichromatic and dichromatic color vision. The diversity of color vision systems present in marsupials remains mostly unexplored. Marsupials occupy a diverse range of habitats, which may have led to considerable variation in the presence, density, distribution, and spectral sensitivity of retinal photoreceptors. In this study we analyzed the distribution of photoreceptors in the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). Immunohistochemistry in wholemounts revealed three cone subpopulations recognized within two spectrally distinct cone classes. Long-wavelength sensitive (LWS) single cones were the largest cone subgroup (67-86%), and formed a weak horizontal visual streak (peak density 2,106±435/mm2) across the central retina. LWS double cones were strongly concentrated ventrally (569±66/mm2), and created a "negative" visual streak (134±45/mm2) in the central retina. The strong regionalization between LWS cone topographies suggests differing visual functions. Short-wavelength sensitive (SWS) cones were present in much lower densities (3-10%), mostly located ventrally (179±101/mm2). A minority population of cones (0-2.4%) remained unlabeled by both SWS- and LWS-specific antibodies, and may represent another cone population. Microspectrophotometry of LWS cone and rod visual pigments shows peak spectral sensitivities at 544 nm and 500 nm, respectively. Cone to ganglion cell convergences remain low and constant across the retina, thereby maintaining good visual acuity, but poor contrast sensitivity during photopic vision. Given that brushtail possums are so strongly nocturnal, we hypothesize that their acuity is set by the scotopic visual system, and have minimized the number of cones necessary to serve the ganglion cells for photopic vision.
dc.identifier.issn0021-9967
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1885/75116
dc.publisherJohn Wiley & Sons Inc
dc.sourceJournal of Comparative Neurology
dc.titlePhotoreceptor topography and spectral sensitivity in the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)
dc.typeJournal article
local.bibliographicCitation.issue15
local.bibliographicCitation.lastpage3436
local.bibliographicCitation.startpage3423
local.contributor.affiliationVlahos, Lisa, College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationKnott, Ben, Deakin University
local.contributor.affiliationValter (Valter-Kocsi), Krisztina, College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationHemmi, Jan, College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, ANU
local.contributor.authoremailu4055998@anu.edu.au
local.contributor.authoruidVlahos, Lisa, u3370184
local.contributor.authoruidValter (Valter-Kocsi), Krisztina, u4055998
local.contributor.authoruidHemmi, Jan, u3829785
local.description.embargo2037-12-31
local.description.notesImported from ARIES
local.identifier.absfor060805 - Animal Neurobiology
local.identifier.absfor060201 - Behavioural Ecology
local.identifier.absseo970106 - Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences
local.identifier.ariespublicationU3488905xPUB4473
local.identifier.citationvolume522
local.identifier.doi10.1002/cne.23610
local.identifier.scopusID2-s2.0-84906273310
local.identifier.uidSubmittedByU3488905
local.type.statusPublished Version

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