title: Spectral sensitivity of juvenile chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) in visible and ultraviolet light.
abstract: Although chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) is widely distributed all over the world, the relevance of its visual sensitivity to its ecology is not yet fully understood. We investigated spectral sensitivity in juvenile chub mackerel in the range of ultraviolet (UV) to visible light (369-652 nm) by electroretinogram (ERG) using light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Sensitivity peaked at a wavelength of approximately 482 nm in dark-adapted fish and 525 nm in light-adapted fish. A secondary sensitivity peak in the UV range at approximately 382 nm was found in both dark- and light-adapted fish. The UV sensitivity of chub mackerel may be attributable to UV transmissibility of the optical media and to the presence of a beta-band of visible light-sensitive visual pigments, and not to an alpha-band of UV visual pigments. This UV sensitivity may be useful for feeding or communication with other fishes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Fisheries, School of Agriculture, Kinki University, Naka, Nara 631-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ihara
authors.forename: Yoshinari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004596:Electroretinography; D008027:Light; D010473:Perciformes / Q000502:physiology*; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012168:Retinal Pigments / Q000502:physiology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D012168:Retinal Pigments