Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Interspecific variation in the visual pigments of deep-sea fishes

  • Published:
Journal of Comparative Physiology A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Visual pigments in the rods of 38 species of deep-sea fish were examined by microspectrophotometry. 33 species were found to have a single rhodopsin with a wavelength of maximum absorbance (λ max) in the range 470–495 nm. Such visual pigments have absorbance maxima close to the wavelengths of maximum spectral transmission of oceanic water. 5 species, however, did not conform to this pattern and visual pigments were found withλ max values ranging from 451 nm to 539 nm. In 4 of these species two visual pigments were found located in two types of rod. Some 2-pigment species which have unusual red sensitivity, also have red-emitting photophores. These species have both rhodopsin and porphyropsin pigments in their retinae, which was confirmed by HPLC, and the two pigments are apparently located in separate rods in the same retinal area. In deep-sea fishes the occurrence of ‘unusual’ visual pigments seems to be correlated with aspects of the species' depth ranges. In addition to ecological influences we present evidence, in the form ofλ max spectral clustering, that indicates the degree of molecular constraint imposed on the evolution of visual pigments in the deep-sea.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Archer SN, Endler JA, Lythgoe JN, Partridge JC (1987) Visual pigment polymorphism in the Guppy,Poecilia reticulata. Vision Res 27:1243–1252

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker A de C, Clarke MR, Harris MJ (1973) The N.I.O. combination net (RMT8 +1) and further developments of rectangular midwater trawls. J Mar Biol Ass UK 53:167–184

    Google Scholar 

  • Beatty DD (1975) Rhodopsin-porphyropsin changes in pairedpigment fishes. In: Ali MA (ed) Vision in fishes. Plenum Press, New York, pp 635–644

    Google Scholar 

  • Bigelow HB, Cohen DM, Dick MM, Gibbs Jr RH, Grey M, Morrow Jr JE, Schultz LP, Walters V (1964) Fishes of the western north atlantic, part 4. Sears Foundation for Marine Research, Yale University

  • Blache J, Cadenat J, Stauch A (1970) Clés de détermination des poissons de mer signalés dans l'atlantique oriental. Faune Tropicale, vol 18. ORSTOM, Paris, pp 1–479

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowmaker JK, Dartnall HJA, Herring PJ (1988) Longwavesensitive visual pigments in some deap-sea fishes: segregation of ‘paired’ rhodopsins and porphyropsins. J Comp Physiol A 163:685–698

    Google Scholar 

  • Bridges CDB (1967) Spectroscopic properties of porphyropsins. Vision Res 7:349–369

    Google Scholar 

  • Bridges CDB (1972) The rhodopsin-porphyropsin visual system. In: Dartnall HJA (ed) Photochemistry of vision (Handbook of sensory physiology, vol VII/1) Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 417–480

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke GL (1936) On the depth at which fishes can see. Ecology 17:452–456

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke GL, Denton EJ (1962) Light and animal life. In: Hill MN (ed) The sea, vol 1. Interscience, London, pp 456–468

    Google Scholar 

  • Dartnall HJA (1975) Assessing the fitness of visual pigments for their photic environments. In: Ali MA (ed) Vision in fishes. Plenum Press, London, pp 543–563

    Google Scholar 

  • Dartnall HJA, Lythgoe JN (1965) The spectral clustering of visual pigments. Vision Res 5:81–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Denton EJ, Warren FJ (1957) The photosensitive pigments in the retinae of deep-sea fish. J Mar Biol Ass UK 36:651

    Google Scholar 

  • Denton EJ, Gilpin-Brown JB, Wright PG (1970) On the ‘filters’ in the photophores of mesopelagic fish and on a fish emitting red light and especially sensitive to red light. J Physiol (Lond) 208:72–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Denton EJ, Muntz WRA, Northmore DPM (1971) The distribution of visual pigments within the retina of the teleosts. J Mar Biol Ass UK 51:905–915

    Google Scholar 

  • Denton EJ, Gilpin-Brown JB, Wright PG (1972) The angular distribution of light produced by some mesopelagic fish in relation to their camouflage. Proc R Soc Lond B 182:145–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Denton EJ, Herring PJ, Widder EA, Latz MF, Case JF (1985) The roles of filters in the photophores of oceanic animals and their relation to vision in the oceanic environment. Proc R Soc Lond 225:63–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Groenendijk GWT, De Grip WJ, Daemen FJM (1980) Quantitative determination of retinals with complete retention of their geometric configuration. Biochim Biophys Acta 617:430–438

    Google Scholar 

  • Haedrich RL, Merrett NR (in press) Summary atlas of deep living demersal fishes in the north atlantic basin. J Nat Hist

  • Harosi FI (1975) Absorption spectra and linear dichroism of some amphibian photoreceptors. J Gen Physiol 66:357–382

    Google Scholar 

  • Herring PJ (1983) The spectral characteristics of luminous organisms. Proc R Soc Lond B 220:183–217

    Google Scholar 

  • Jerlov NG (1976) Marine optics. Elsevier Oceanography Series 14. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 1–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Kampa EM (1970) Underwater daylight and moonlight measurements in the eastern north atlantic. J Mar Biol Ass UK 50:397–420

    Google Scholar 

  • Knowles A, Dartnall HJA (1977) The photobiology of vision. In: Davson H (ed) The eye, vol 2B. Academic Press, London, pp 1–689

    Google Scholar 

  • Levine JS, Goodman SL, MacNichol Jr EF (1981) Cone pigments: aldehyde fixation for microspectrophotometry. Invest Ophthalmol Visual Sci [Suppl] 20:104

    Google Scholar 

  • Locket NA (1977) Adaptations to the deep-sea environment. In: Crescitelli F (ed) Handbook of sensory physiology, vol VII/5, Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 67–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Loew ER, Dartnall HJA (1976) Vitamin A1/A2-based visual pigment mixtures in cones of the rudd. Vision Res 16:891–896

    Google Scholar 

  • Loew ER, Lythgoe JN (1985) The ecology of colour vision. Endeavour, New Series, vol 14, No. 4:170–174

    Google Scholar 

  • MacNichol Jr EF (1986) A unifying presentation of photopigment spectra. Vision Res 26:1543–1556

    Google Scholar 

  • MacNichol Jr EF, Feinberg R, Harosi FI (1973) Colour discrimination processes in the retina. In: Colour 73. Adam Hilger, London, pp 191–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Mansfield RJW (1985) Primate photopigments and cone mechanisms. In: Fein A, Levine JS (eds) The visual system. Liss, New York, pp 89–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Marks WB (1965) Visual pigments of single goldfish cones. J Physiol (Lond) 178:14–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall NB (1979) Developments in deep-sea biology. Blandford, Dorset 566 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • McFall-Ngai M, Crescitelli F, Childress J, Horwitz J (1986) Patterns of pigmentation in the eye lens of the deep-sea hatchet fish,Argyropelecus affinis Garman. J Comp Physiol A 159:791–800

    Google Scholar 

  • Merrett NR, Marshall NB (1981) Observations on the ecology of deep-sea bottom-living fishes collected off northwest Africa (08°–27° N). Prog Oceanogr 9:185–244

    Google Scholar 

  • Munk O (1966) Ocular anatomy of some deep-sea teleosts. Dana Report No. 70 Carlsberg Foundation, Copenhagen

    Google Scholar 

  • Muntz WRA (1976) On yellow lenses in mesopelagic animals. J Mar Biol Ass UK 56:963–976

    Google Scholar 

  • Muntz WRA, Northmore DPM (1971) Visual pigments from different parts of the retina in rudd and trout. Vision Res 11:551–561

    Google Scholar 

  • Munz FW (1958) Photosensitive pigments from the retinae of certain deep-sea fishes. J Physiol 140:220–235

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Day WT, Fernandez HR (1974)Aristostomias scintillans (Malacosteidae): A fish with visual pigments apparently adapted to its own bioluminescence. Vision Res 14:545–550

    Google Scholar 

  • Partridge JC (1986) Microspectrophotometry of vertebrate photoreceptors. PhD thesis, University of Bristol

  • Partridge JC, Archer SN, Lythgoe JN (1988) Visual pigments in the individual rods of deep-sea fishes. J Comp Physiol A 162:543–550

    Google Scholar 

  • Roe HSJ, Shale DM (1979) A new multiple rectangular midwater trawl (RMT 1+8 M) and some modifications of the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences' RMT 1+8. Mar Biol 50:283–288

    Google Scholar 

  • Sillman AJ, Bolnick DA, Haynes LW, Walter AE, Loew ER (1981) Microspectrophotometry of the photoreceptors of palaeognathous birds- the emu and tinamou. J Comp Physiol 144:271–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Somiya H (1982) ‘Yellow lens’ eyes of the stomiatoid deep sea fishMalacosteus niger. Proc R Soc Lond 6215:481–489

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead PJP, Bauchot M-L, Hureau J-C, Nielsen J, Tortonese E (1984) Fishes of the north-eastern atlantic and the mediterranean, vol 1. UNESCO, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead PJP, Bauchot M-L, Hureau J-C, Nielsen J, Tortonese E (1986a) Fishes of the north-eastern atlantic and the mediterranean, vol 2. UNESCO, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead PJP, Bauchot M-L, Hureau J-C, Nielsen J, Tortonese E (1986b) Fishes of the north-eastern atlantic and the mediterranean, vol 3. UNESCO, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Widder EA, Latz MF, Case JF (1983) Marine bioluminescence spectra measured with an optical multichannel detection system. Biol Bull 165:791–810

    Google Scholar 

  • Widder EA, Latz MF, Herring PJ, Case JF (1984) Far-red bioluminescence from two deep-sea fishes. Science 225:512–514

    Google Scholar 

  • Wyszecki G, Stiles WS (1967) Color science. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, BS 8 1UG, Bristol, UK

    J. C. Partridge, Julia Shand, S. N. Archer & J. N. Lythgoe

  2. Department of Biochemistry, University of Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9101, NL-6500, HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    W. A. H. M. van Groningen-Luyben

Authors
  1. J. C. Partridge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Julia Shand
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. N. Archer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. N. Lythgoe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. W. A. H. M. van Groningen-Luyben
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Partridge, J.C., Shand, J., Archer, S.N. et al. Interspecific variation in the visual pigments of deep-sea fishes. J. Comp. Physiol. 164, 513–529 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00610445

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00610445

Keywords

Search

Navigation