title: The memory template in Drosophila pattern vision at the flight simulator.
abstract: Pattern recognition is studied in flight orientation of fixed flying Drosophila melanogaster controlling the horizontal rotations of an arena. Earlier experiments had suggested a simple mechanism of pattern recognition in which a memory template and the actual image are retinotopically matched. In contrast, we now show that Drosophila extracts at least two and probably four pattern parameters: size, vertical position of the center of gravity and, presumably horizontal/vertical extent as well as vertical separatedness of pattern elements. Moreover, the fly treats isolated pattern elements as a compound figure. Retinal transfer is possible between training and test if the centers of gravity of the compound figures are retained.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Genetik, Biozentrum, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heisenberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003463:Cues; D004330:Drosophila / Q000502:physiology*; D006112:Gravitation; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*