title: Behavioural discrimination of polarized light in the damselfish Chromis viridis (family Pomacentridae).
abstract: In this study, we demonstrate the capacity for damselfish (green chromis, Chromis viridis) to discriminate between different e-vector orientations of ultraviolet polarized light. We examined the ability of green chromis to resolve small differences in e-vector orientation of ultraviolet polarized light. Fish were successfully trained to swim towards an e-vector orientation of polarized light using a behavioural chamber. C. viridis was able to discriminate between the horizontal and the vertical plane of ultraviolet polarized light independent of brightness content of the stimuli. However, e-vector discrimination capability disappeared when the ultraviolet portion of the light stimuli was removed, indicating that the presence of ultraviolet light was critical for e-vector discrimination. Fish could also distinguish between relatively small e-vector orientations of ultraviolet polarized light. Functional implications for high e-vector discriminative capabilities could be used in functional domains such as feeding and communication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Victoria, PO Box 3020 Stn. CSC, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8W 3N5.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mussi
authors.forename: Theodore J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Haimberger
authors.forename: Craig W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hawryshyn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D010473:Perciformes / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*