Light perception in two strictly subterranean rodents: life in the dark or blue?

<h4>Background</h4>The African mole-rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia) are strictly subterranean, congenitally microphthalmic rodents that are hardly ever exposed to environmental light. Because of the lack of an overt behavioural reaction to light, they have long been considered to be blind....

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Autores principales:	Ondrej Kott, Radim Sumbera, Pavel Nemec
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2010
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/543b9132967741fd81d7c08e73d66ec5
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:543b9132967741fd81d7c08e73d66ec52021-12-02T20:19:41ZLight perception in two strictly subterranean rodents: life in the dark or blue?1932-620310.1371/journal.pone.0011810https://doaj.org/article/543b9132967741fd81d7c08e73d66ec52010-07-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/20676369/?tool=EBIhttps://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203<h4>Background</h4>The African mole-rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia) are strictly subterranean, congenitally microphthalmic rodents that are hardly ever exposed to environmental light. Because of the lack of an overt behavioural reaction to light, they have long been considered to be blind. However, recent anatomical studies have suggested retention of basic visual capabilities. In this study, we employed behavioural tests to find out if two mole-rat species are able to discriminate between light and dark, if they are able to discriminate colours and, finally, if the presence of light in burrows provokes plugging behaviour, which is assumed to have a primarily anti-predatory function.<h4>Methodology/principal finding</h4>We used a binary choice test to show that the silvery mole-rat Heliophobius argenteocinereus and the giant mole-rat Fukomys mechowii exhibit a clear photoavoidance response to full-spectrum ("white"), blue and green-yellow light, but no significant reaction to ultraviolet or red light during nest building. The mole-rats thus retain dark/light discrimination capabilities and a capacity to perceive short to medium-wavelength light in the photopic range of intensities. These findings further suggest that the mole-rat S opsin has its absorption maximum in the violet/blue part of the spectrum. The assay did not yield conclusive evidence regarding colour discrimination. To test the putative role of vision in bathyergid anti-predatory behaviour, we examined the reaction of mole-rats to the incidence of light in an artificial burrow system. The presence of light in the burrow effectively induced plugging of the illuminated tunnel.<h4>Conclusion/significance</h4>Our findings suggest that the photopic vision is conserved and that low acuity residual vision plays an important role in predator avoidance and tunnel maintenance in the African mole-rats.Ondrej KottRadim SumberaPavel NemecPublic Library of Science (PLoS)articleMedicineRScienceQENPLoS ONE, Vol 5, Iss 7, p e11810 (2010)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Ondrej Kott Radim Sumbera Pavel Nemec Light perception in two strictly subterranean rodents: life in the dark or blue?
description	<h4>Background</h4>The African mole-rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia) are strictly subterranean, congenitally microphthalmic rodents that are hardly ever exposed to environmental light. Because of the lack of an overt behavioural reaction to light, they have long been considered to be blind. However, recent anatomical studies have suggested retention of basic visual capabilities. In this study, we employed behavioural tests to find out if two mole-rat species are able to discriminate between light and dark, if they are able to discriminate colours and, finally, if the presence of light in burrows provokes plugging behaviour, which is assumed to have a primarily anti-predatory function.<h4>Methodology/principal finding</h4>We used a binary choice test to show that the silvery mole-rat Heliophobius argenteocinereus and the giant mole-rat Fukomys mechowii exhibit a clear photoavoidance response to full-spectrum ("white"), blue and green-yellow light, but no significant reaction to ultraviolet or red light during nest building. The mole-rats thus retain dark/light discrimination capabilities and a capacity to perceive short to medium-wavelength light in the photopic range of intensities. These findings further suggest that the mole-rat S opsin has its absorption maximum in the violet/blue part of the spectrum. The assay did not yield conclusive evidence regarding colour discrimination. To test the putative role of vision in bathyergid anti-predatory behaviour, we examined the reaction of mole-rats to the incidence of light in an artificial burrow system. The presence of light in the burrow effectively induced plugging of the illuminated tunnel.<h4>Conclusion/significance</h4>Our findings suggest that the photopic vision is conserved and that low acuity residual vision plays an important role in predator avoidance and tunnel maintenance in the African mole-rats.
format	article
author	Ondrej Kott Radim Sumbera Pavel Nemec
author_facet	Ondrej Kott Radim Sumbera Pavel Nemec
author_sort	Ondrej Kott
title	Light perception in two strictly subterranean rodents: life in the dark or blue?
title_short	Light perception in two strictly subterranean rodents: life in the dark or blue?
title_full	Light perception in two strictly subterranean rodents: life in the dark or blue?
title_fullStr	Light perception in two strictly subterranean rodents: life in the dark or blue?
title_full_unstemmed	Light perception in two strictly subterranean rodents: life in the dark or blue?
title_sort	light perception in two strictly subterranean rodents: life in the dark or blue?
publisher	Public Library of Science (PLoS)
publishDate	2010
url	https://doaj.org/article/543b9132967741fd81d7c08e73d66ec5
work_keys_str_mv	AT ondrejkott lightperceptionintwostrictlysubterraneanrodentslifeinthedarkorblue AT radimsumbera lightperceptionintwostrictlysubterraneanrodentslifeinthedarkorblue AT pavelnemec lightperceptionintwostrictlysubterraneanrodentslifeinthedarkorblue
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Light perception in two strictly subterranean rodents: life in the dark or blue?

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