Eur. J. Entomol. 99 (1): 1-4, 2002 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2002.001

Ultraviolet vision in European owlflies (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae): a critical review

Karl KRAL
Institut für Zoologie, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, A-8010 Graz, Austria; e-mail: karl.kral@kfunigraz.ac.at

This review critically examines the ecological costs and benefits of ultraviolet vision in European owlflies. On the one hand it permits the accurate pursuit of flying prey, but on the other, it limits hunting to sunny periods. First the physics of detecting short wave radiation are presented. Then the advantages and disadvantages of the optical specializations necessary for UV vision are discussed. Finally the question of why several visual pigments are involved in UV vision is addressed.

Keywords: Owlfly, Ascalaphus, Neuroptera, insect vision, ultraviolet sensitivity, visual acuity, visual behaviour, visual pigment

Received: April 12, 2001; Revised: December 12, 2001; Accepted: January 17, 2002; Published: March 15, 2002  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
KRAL, K. (2002). Ultraviolet vision in European owlflies (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae): a critical review. EJE, 99(1), 1-4. doi: 10.14411/eje.2002.001
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Arikawa K., Mizuno S., Scholten D.G.W., Kinoshita M., Seki T., Kitamoto J. & Stavenga D.G. 1999: An ultraviolet absorbing pigment causes a narrow-band violet receptor and a single-peaked green receptor in the eye of the butterfly Papilio. Vision Res. 39: 1-8 Go to original source...
    2. Ast F. 1920: Uber den feineren Bau der Facettenaugen bei Neuropteren. Zool. Jb. 41: 411-458 Go to original source...
    3. Bentrop J., Schillo M., Gerdon G., Draslar K. & Paulsen R. 2001: UV-light-dependent binding of a visual arrestin 1 isoform to photoreceptor membranes in a neuropteran (Ascalaphus) compound eye. FEBS Lett. 493: 112-116 Go to original source...
    4. Eggenreich U. & Kral K. 1990: External design and field of view of the compound eyes in a raptorial neuropteran insect, Mantispa styriaca. J. Exp. Biol. 148: 353-365 Go to original source...
    5. Gogala M. 1967: Die spektrale Empfindlichkeit der Doppelaugen von Ascalaphus macaronius SCOP. (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae). Z. Vergl. Physiol. 57: 232-243 Go to original source...
    6. Gogala M. & Michieli S. 1965: Das Komplexauge von Ascalaphus, ein spezialisiertes Sinnesorgan fuer kurzwelliges Licht. Naturwissenschaften 52: 217-218
    7. Gogala M., Hamdorf K. & Schwemer J. 1970: UV-Sehfarbstoff bei Insekten. Z. Vergl. Physiol. 70: 410-413 Go to original source...
    8. Gribakin F., Alekseyev E., Shukolyukov S. & Gogala M. 1995: Unconventional ultraviolet sensitivity spectra of Ascalaphus (Insecta, Neuroptera). J. Comp. Physiol. 177: 201-206 Go to original source...
    9. Hamdorf K. 1979: The physiology of invertebrate visual pigments. In Autrum H. et al. (eds): Handbook of Sensory Physiology, Vol. VII/6A, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, pp. 145-224 Go to original source...
    10. Hamdorf K. & Gogala M. 1973: Photoregeneration und Bereichseinstellung beim UV-Rezeptor. J. Comp. Physiol. 86: 231-245 Go to original source...
    11. Hamdorf K., Schwemer J. & Gogala M. 1971: Insect visual pigment sensitive to ultraviolet light. Nature (Lond.) 231: 458-459 Go to original source...
    12. Henderson S. T. & Hodgkiss D. 1963: The spectral energy distribution of daylight. Br. J. Appl. Phys. 14: 125-131 Go to original source...
    13. Kirschfeld K. & Wenk P. 1976: The dorsal compound eye of simuliid flies: An eye specialized for the detection of small, rapidly moving objects. Z. Naturforsch. 31: 764-765 Go to original source...
    14. Kirschfeld K. & Vogt K. 1986: Does retinal serve a sensitizing function in insect photoreceptors? Vision Res. 26: 1771-1777 Go to original source...
    15. Kral K. & Stelzl M. 1998: Daily visual sensitivity pattern in the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Eur. J. Entomol. 95: 327-333
    16. Kral K., Herbst K. & Pabst M.A. 1990: The compound eye of Mantispa styriaca (Neuroptera: Planipennia). Zool. Jb. Physiol. 94: 333-343
    17. Labhart T. & Nilsson D.-E. 1995: The dorsal eye of the dragonfly Sympetrum: specializations for prey detection against the blue sky. J. Comp. Physiol. A 176: 437-453 Go to original source...
    18. Land M.F. 1997: Visual acuity in insects. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 42: 147-177 Go to original source...
    19. Mayer H. & Kral K. 1993: Electrophysiological and optical studies of the spectral sensitivity of Mantispa styriaca (Neuroptera: Planipennia). Mitt. Dt. Ges. Allgem. Angew. Entomol. 8: 709-713
    20. Mazokhin-Porshnyakov G.A. 1959: Colorimetric study of colour vision in the dragonfly. Biofizika 4: 427-436
    21. Nilsson D.-E. 1989: Optics and evolution of the compound eye. In Stavenga D.G. & Hardie R.C. (eds): Facets of Vision. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, pp. 30-73 Go to original source...
    22. Paulsen R. & Schwemer J. 1972: Studies on the insect visual pigment sensitive to ultraviolet light: retinal as the chromophore group. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 283: 520-529 Go to original source...
    23. Schneider L., Gogala M., Draslar K., Langer H. & Schlecht P. 1978: Feinstruktur und Schirmpigment-Eigenschaften der Ommatidien des Doppelauges von Ascalaphus (Insecta: Neuroptera) Cytobiology 16: 274-307
    24. Schwemer J., Gogala M. & Hamdorf K. 1971: Der UV-Sehfarbstoff der Insekten: Photochemie in vitro und in vivo. Z. Vergl. Physiol. 75: 174-188 Go to original source...
    25. Seki T. & Vogt K. 1998: Evolutionary aspects of the diversity of visual pigment chromophores in the class Insecta. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. B 119: 53-64 Go to original source...
    26. Stusek P. & Hamdorf K. 1999: Properties of pupil mechanisms in owl-fly Ascalaphus macaronius (Neuroptera). J. Comp. Physiol. A 184: 99-106 Go to original source...
    27. Stusek P., Draslar K., Belusie G. & Zupaneie G. 2000: Adaptation mechanisms in insect eyes. Acta Biol. Sloven. 43: 41-70
    28. Vogt K. 1989: Distribution of insect visual chromophores: functional and phylogenetic aspects. In Stavenga D.G. & Hardie R.C. (eds): Facets of Vision. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, pp. 134-151 Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content