Colour thresholds in a coral reef fish
Coral reef fishes are among the most colourful animals in the world. Given the diversity of lifestyles and habitats on the reef, it is probable that in many instances coloration is a compromise between crypsis and communication. However, human observation of this coloration is biased by our primate...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2016-01-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.160399 |
| _version_ | 1818333266784026624 |
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| author | C. M. Champ M. Vorobyev N. J. Marshall |
| author_facet | C. M. Champ M. Vorobyev N. J. Marshall |
| author_sort | C. M. Champ |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Coral reef fishes are among the most colourful animals in the world. Given the diversity of lifestyles and habitats on the reef, it is probable that in many instances coloration is a compromise between crypsis and communication. However, human observation of this coloration is biased by our primate visual system. Most animals have visual systems that are ‘tuned’ differently to humans; optimized for different parts of the visible spectrum. To understand reef fish colours, we need to reconstruct the appearance of colourful patterns and backgrounds as they are seen through the eyes of fish. Here, the coral reef associated triggerfish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus, was tested behaviourally to determine the limits of its colour vision. This is the first demonstration of behavioural colour discrimination thresholds in a coral reef species and is a critical step in our understanding of communication and speciation in this vibrant colourful habitat. Fish were trained to discriminate between a reward colour stimulus and series of non-reward colour stimuli and the discrimination thresholds were found to correspond well with predictions based on the receptor noise limited visual model and anatomy of the eye. Colour discrimination abilities of both reef fish and a variety of animals can therefore now be predicted using the parameters described here. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:48:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3fabdc452fb64558b736c7d2d651b4ba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:48:55Z |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-3fabdc452fb64558b736c7d2d651b4ba2022-12-21T23:43:16ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032016-01-013910.1098/rsos.160399160399Colour thresholds in a coral reef fishC. M. ChampM. VorobyevN. J. MarshallCoral reef fishes are among the most colourful animals in the world. Given the diversity of lifestyles and habitats on the reef, it is probable that in many instances coloration is a compromise between crypsis and communication. However, human observation of this coloration is biased by our primate visual system. Most animals have visual systems that are ‘tuned’ differently to humans; optimized for different parts of the visible spectrum. To understand reef fish colours, we need to reconstruct the appearance of colourful patterns and backgrounds as they are seen through the eyes of fish. Here, the coral reef associated triggerfish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus, was tested behaviourally to determine the limits of its colour vision. This is the first demonstration of behavioural colour discrimination thresholds in a coral reef species and is a critical step in our understanding of communication and speciation in this vibrant colourful habitat. Fish were trained to discriminate between a reward colour stimulus and series of non-reward colour stimuli and the discrimination thresholds were found to correspond well with predictions based on the receptor noise limited visual model and anatomy of the eye. Colour discrimination abilities of both reef fish and a variety of animals can therefore now be predicted using the parameters described here.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.160399coral reefscolour visionvisual thresholds |
| spellingShingle | C. M. Champ M. Vorobyev N. J. Marshall Colour thresholds in a coral reef fish Royal Society Open Science coral reefs colour vision visual thresholds |
| title | Colour thresholds in a coral reef fish |
| title_full | Colour thresholds in a coral reef fish |
| title_fullStr | Colour thresholds in a coral reef fish |
| title_full_unstemmed | Colour thresholds in a coral reef fish |
| title_short | Colour thresholds in a coral reef fish |
| title_sort | colour thresholds in a coral reef fish |
| topic | coral reefs colour vision visual thresholds |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.160399 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cmchamp colourthresholdsinacoralreeffish AT mvorobyev colourthresholdsinacoralreeffish AT njmarshall colourthresholdsinacoralreeffish |