Predator versus prey: locust looming-detector neuron and behavioural responses to stimuli representing attacking bird predators.

Many arthropods possess escape-triggering neural mechanisms that help them evade predators. These mechanisms are important neuroethological models, but they are rarely investigated using predator-like stimuli because there is often insufficient information on real predator attacks. Locusts possess u...

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Autores principales:	Roger D Santer, F Claire Rind, Peter J Simmons
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/fe353ebca4ca41fe9934a31fa68be81d
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:fe353ebca4ca41fe9934a31fa68be81d2021-11-18T08:07:25ZPredator versus prey: locust looming-detector neuron and behavioural responses to stimuli representing attacking bird predators.1932-620310.1371/journal.pone.0050146https://doaj.org/article/fe353ebca4ca41fe9934a31fa68be81d2012-01-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/23209660/pdf/?tool=EBIhttps://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203Many arthropods possess escape-triggering neural mechanisms that help them evade predators. These mechanisms are important neuroethological models, but they are rarely investigated using predator-like stimuli because there is often insufficient information on real predator attacks. Locusts possess uniquely identifiable visual neurons (the descending contralateral movement detectors, DCMDs) that are well-studied looming motion detectors. The DCMDs trigger 'glides' in flying locusts, which are hypothesised to be appropriate last-ditch responses to the looms of avian predators. To date it has not been possible to study glides in response to stimuli simulating bird attacks because such attacks have not been characterised. We analyse video of wild black kites attacking flying locusts, and estimate kite attack speeds of 10.8±1.4 m/s. We estimate that the loom of a kite's thorax towards a locust at these speeds should be characterised by a relatively low ratio of half size to speed (l/\|v\|) in the range 4-17 ms. Peak DCMD spike rate and gliding response occurrence are known to increase as l/\|v\| decreases for simple looming shapes. Using simulated looming discs, we investigate these trends and show that both DCMD and behavioural responses are strong to stimuli with kite-like l/\|v\| ratios. Adding wings to looming discs to produce a more realistic stimulus shape did not disrupt the overall relationships of DCMD and gliding occurrence to stimulus l/\|v\|. However, adding wings to looming discs did slightly reduce high frequency DCMD spike rates in the final stages of object approach, and slightly delay glide initiation. Looming discs with or without wings triggered glides closer to the time of collision as l/\|v\| declined, and relatively infrequently before collision at very low l/\|v\|. However, the performance of this system is in line with expectations for a last-ditch escape response.Roger D SanterF Claire RindPeter J SimmonsPublic Library of Science (PLoS)articleMedicineRScienceQENPLoS ONE, Vol 7, Iss 11, p e50146 (2012)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Roger D Santer F Claire Rind Peter J Simmons Predator versus prey: locust looming-detector neuron and behavioural responses to stimuli representing attacking bird predators.
description	Many arthropods possess escape-triggering neural mechanisms that help them evade predators. These mechanisms are important neuroethological models, but they are rarely investigated using predator-like stimuli because there is often insufficient information on real predator attacks. Locusts possess uniquely identifiable visual neurons (the descending contralateral movement detectors, DCMDs) that are well-studied looming motion detectors. The DCMDs trigger 'glides' in flying locusts, which are hypothesised to be appropriate last-ditch responses to the looms of avian predators. To date it has not been possible to study glides in response to stimuli simulating bird attacks because such attacks have not been characterised. We analyse video of wild black kites attacking flying locusts, and estimate kite attack speeds of 10.8±1.4 m/s. We estimate that the loom of a kite's thorax towards a locust at these speeds should be characterised by a relatively low ratio of half size to speed (l/\|v\|) in the range 4-17 ms. Peak DCMD spike rate and gliding response occurrence are known to increase as l/\|v\| decreases for simple looming shapes. Using simulated looming discs, we investigate these trends and show that both DCMD and behavioural responses are strong to stimuli with kite-like l/\|v\| ratios. Adding wings to looming discs to produce a more realistic stimulus shape did not disrupt the overall relationships of DCMD and gliding occurrence to stimulus l/\|v\|. However, adding wings to looming discs did slightly reduce high frequency DCMD spike rates in the final stages of object approach, and slightly delay glide initiation. Looming discs with or without wings triggered glides closer to the time of collision as l/\|v\| declined, and relatively infrequently before collision at very low l/\|v\|. However, the performance of this system is in line with expectations for a last-ditch escape response.
format	article
author	Roger D Santer F Claire Rind Peter J Simmons
author_facet	Roger D Santer F Claire Rind Peter J Simmons
author_sort	Roger D Santer
title	Predator versus prey: locust looming-detector neuron and behavioural responses to stimuli representing attacking bird predators.
title_short	Predator versus prey: locust looming-detector neuron and behavioural responses to stimuli representing attacking bird predators.
title_full	Predator versus prey: locust looming-detector neuron and behavioural responses to stimuli representing attacking bird predators.
title_fullStr	Predator versus prey: locust looming-detector neuron and behavioural responses to stimuli representing attacking bird predators.
title_full_unstemmed	Predator versus prey: locust looming-detector neuron and behavioural responses to stimuli representing attacking bird predators.
title_sort	predator versus prey: locust looming-detector neuron and behavioural responses to stimuli representing attacking bird predators.
publisher	Public Library of Science (PLoS)
publishDate	2012
url	https://doaj.org/article/fe353ebca4ca41fe9934a31fa68be81d
work_keys_str_mv	AT rogerdsanter predatorversuspreylocustloomingdetectorneuronandbehaviouralresponsestostimulirepresentingattackingbirdpredators AT fclairerind predatorversuspreylocustloomingdetectorneuronandbehaviouralresponsestostimulirepresentingattackingbirdpredators AT peterjsimmons predatorversuspreylocustloomingdetectorneuronandbehaviouralresponsestostimulirepresentingattackingbirdpredators
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Predator versus prey: locust looming-detector neuron and behavioural responses to stimuli representing attacking bird predators.

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