Visual receptive field properties of feature detecting neurons in the dragonfly (original) (raw)
Abstract
The dragonfly, (Aeshna, Anax) which feeds on small flying insects, requires a visual system capable of signaling the movements of airborne prey. A group of 8 descending feature detectors in the dragonfly are tuned exclusively to moving contrasting objects. These “target-selective” descending neurons project from the brain to the thoracic ganglia. Their activity drives steering movement of the wings.
In this study, we recorded target-selective descending neuron activity intracellularly.To define their receptive fields, we recorded responses to the movement of black square targets projected onto a screen in front of the animal. Each neuron was identified by dye injection.
Target-selective descending neurons exhibit several receptive field properties. Our results show that they are strongly directionally selective. Two TSDNs, exclusively tuned to small targets, have receptive fields restricted to visual midline. Others, which are not selective for target size, have asymmetric receptive fields centered laterally.We suggest that the behavioral function of these specialized feature detectors is to steer the dragonfly during prey-tracking so as to fix the position of the prey image on the retina. If the dragonfly maintains a constant visual bearing to its prey over time it will intercept its prey.
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Abbreviations
TSDN :
target-selective descending neuron
DCMD :
descending contralateral movement detector
MDT :
median dorsal tract
DIT :
dorsal intermediate tract
VNC :
ventral nerve cord
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- M. A. Frye
Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, Washington, USA
Authors and Affiliations
- Department of Biological Sciences, Union College, Union Street, 12308, Schenectady, N.Y., USA
M. A. Frye & R. M. Olberg
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- M. A. Frye
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Frye, M.A., Olberg, R.M. Visual receptive field properties of feature detecting neurons in the dragonfly.J Comp Physiol A 177, 569–576 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00207186
- Accepted: 07 March 1995
- Issue Date: October 1995
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00207186