Journal
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
Volume 71, Issue 12, Pages -Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2408-z
Keywords
Sensory system; Eye size; Optomotor response; Guppies; Sex differences; Body size
Categories
Funding
- Swedish Research Council [2012-03624, 2016-03435]
- Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation [102 2013.0072]
- Swedish Research Council [2012-03624, 2016-03435] Funding Source: Swedish Research Council
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The visual system is highly variable across species, and such variability is a key factor influencing animal behavior. Variation in the visual system, for instance, can influence the outcome of learning tasks when visual stimuli are used. We illustrate this issue in guppies (Poecilia reticulata) artificially selected for large and small relative brain size with pronounced behavioral differences in learning experiments and mate choice tests. We performed a study of the visual system by quantifying eye size and optomotor response of large-brained and small-brained guppies. This represents the first experimental test of the link between brain size evolution and visual acuity. We found that female guppies have larger eyes than male guppies, both in absolute terms and in relation to their body size. Likewise, individuals selected for larger brains had slightly larger eyes but not better visual acuity than small-brained guppies. However, body size was positively associated with visual acuity. We discuss our findings in relation to previous macroevolutionary studies on the evolution of brain morphology, eye morphology, visual acuity, and ecological variables, while stressing the importance of accounting for sensory abilities in behavioral studies.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available