Abstract
Intensity discrimination experiments are performed with individual walking honeybees trained to color stimuli (UV, blue and green) of constant intensity. The choice behavior to stimuli of identical wavelength spectrum but different intensities is tested. A graded choice behavior is found. The training intensity is chosen with the highest probability in most cases. Phototaxis as well as brightness discrimination can be excluded. The choice behavior is explained exclusively by discrimination of chromaticness (hue and saturation) according to the Bezold-Brücke shift.
The bees adapt to the chromatic stimuli during their choices. From the behavioral data, it is concluded that in adaptation, adjustment in photoreceptor sensitivity in one receptor also affects the sensitivity of the other receptors (“co-adaptation”). The linear adaptation model corresponding to the von Kries Coefficient Law used up to now to describe adaptation to white light in the honeybee does not describe this type of adaptation.
A quantitative model of adaptation to chromatic stimuli extending the linear adaptation model is developed.
The most reasonable mechanism of co-adaptation is optical coupling by lateral filtering. Other mechanisms such as electrical coupling are unlikely, since their effects on color vision would lead to effects inconsistent with Graßmann's Laws.
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Dittrich, M. A quantitative model of successive color induction in the honeybee. J Comp Physiol A 177, 219–234 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225101
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225101