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Visual and electrosensory ecology of batoid elasmobranchs

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Date Issued:
2013
Summary:
The electrosensory and visual adaptations of elasmobranchs to the environment have been more studied than most other senses, however, work on these senses is mostly limited to descriptive analyses of sensitivity, morphology, and behavior. The goal of this work was to explore electrosensory and visual capabilities in a more ecological context. To gain an understanding of the content of bioelectric signals, the magnitude and frequency of these stimuli were recorded from a broad survey of elasmobranch prey items... Color vision adaptations also correlated to the photic environment of each species; cownose rays inhabit turbid, green-dominated waters and had two cone visual pigments that maximize contrast of objects against the green background... Yellow stingrays were trichromatic and likely possess the ability to discriminate colors in their clear, reef and seagrass habitats, which are spectrally rich. Both species showed evidence of ultraviolet sensitivity, which may aid in predator and conspecific detection as an enhanced communication channel. Future studies should investigate the integration of sensory input and sensory involvement in intraspecific communication to gain more insight into ecological adaptations.
Title: Visual and electrosensory ecology of batoid elasmobranchs.
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Name(s): Bedore, Christine N.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Biological Sciences
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Issued: 2013
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Physical Form: electronic
Extent: xv, 153 p. : ill. (some col.)
Language(s): English
Summary: The electrosensory and visual adaptations of elasmobranchs to the environment have been more studied than most other senses, however, work on these senses is mostly limited to descriptive analyses of sensitivity, morphology, and behavior. The goal of this work was to explore electrosensory and visual capabilities in a more ecological context. To gain an understanding of the content of bioelectric signals, the magnitude and frequency of these stimuli were recorded from a broad survey of elasmobranch prey items... Color vision adaptations also correlated to the photic environment of each species; cownose rays inhabit turbid, green-dominated waters and had two cone visual pigments that maximize contrast of objects against the green background... Yellow stingrays were trichromatic and likely possess the ability to discriminate colors in their clear, reef and seagrass habitats, which are spectrally rich. Both species showed evidence of ultraviolet sensitivity, which may aid in predator and conspecific detection as an enhanced communication channel. Future studies should investigate the integration of sensory input and sensory involvement in intraspecific communication to gain more insight into ecological adaptations.
Identifier: 858621110 (oclc), 3362337 (digitool), FADT3362337 (IID), fau:4175 (fedora)
Note(s): by Christine N. Bedore.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013.
Includes bibliography.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
System requirements: Adobe Reader.
Subject(s): Visual discrimination
Adaptation (Biology)
Animal ecophysiology
Chondrichthyes -- Physiology
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362337
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU