Journal
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY A-NEUROETHOLOGY SENSORY NEURAL AND BEHAVIORAL PHYSIOLOGY
Volume 195, Issue 7, Pages 643-650Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s00359-009-0439-2
Keywords
Harbor seal; Phoca vitulina; Visual acuity; Luminance; Corneal flattening
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Funding
- Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes [2005 SA 0969]
- VolkswagenStiftung
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [509]
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In this study, we measured aerial visual acuity in harbor seals. As a first approach to the hypothesis that harbor seals can obtain acute aerial visual acuity mediated by the interaction of the vertical slit-shaped pupil and the corneal flattening although refractive measurements had revealed aerial myopia, visual acuity was tested as a function of luminance and pupil dilation. We analyzed aerial visual acuity (minimal resolvable stripe width) in three harbor seals in a two-alternative-forced-choice discrimination experiment. Our results further support the hypothesis that harbor seals possess an aerial visual acuity comparable to the acuity in clear waters if the vertical slit pupil does not exceed the zone of corneal flattening in bright light. When the pupil dilates with decreasing luminance, visual acuity decreases which might be due to deflected light from the stronger curved peripheral cornea.
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