Summary
Profiles of the axonal endings of seven retinular cells (R1–7) from each of six stemmata (I–VI) of the butterflyPapilio xuthus were examined. Their axons enter the brain anteroventrally and project dorsally along the brain's lateral surface before entering the optic neuropil. Larval optic neuropil has two distinct areas, a (distal) lamina and a (proximal) medulla, connected by a chiasma. Intracellular administration of cobalt shows that distal retinular cells (R1–3 of stemmata I–IV, R1–3 and R6 of stemmata V and VI) terminate as short axons with plug or toothbrush-like endings in the lamina. Proximal retinular cells (R4–7 of stemmata I–IV, R4, R5 and R7 of stemmata V and VI) terminate as long axons in the chiasma or in the medulla. The long axons have fine branches in the lamina, chiasma and medulla. The two proximal cells (R5 and R7) are distinguished by their deeper endings and longer branches. The terminals of photoreceptors correspond to their photoreceptive properties and provide further evidence for the functional specialization of the photoreceptors.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bacon, J. P. &Altman, J. S. (1977) A silver intensification method for cobalt-filled neurons in wholemount preparations.Brain Research 138, 359–63.
Bacon, J. &Strausfeld, N. J. (1980) Nonrandom resolution of neuron arrangements. InNeuroanatomical Techniques (edited byStrausfeld, N. J. &Miller, T. A.), pp. 357–72. New York, Heidelberg, Berlin: Springer-Verlag.
Braitenberg, V. (1967) Patterns of projection in the visual system of the fly. I. Retina-lamina projections.Experimental Brain Research 3, 271–98.
Bullock, T. H. &Horridge, G. A. (1965)Structure and Function in the Nervous Systems of Invertebrates. San Francisco and London: W. H. Freeman and Company.
Campos-Ortega, J. A. &Strausfeld, N. J. (1972) The columner organization of the second synaptic region of the visual system ofMusca domestica L. I. Receptor terminals in the medulla.Zeitschrift für Zellforschung und mikroskopische Anatomie 124, 561–85.
Cornelli, W. (1924) Von dem Aufbau des Sehorgans der Blattwespenlarven und der Entwicklung des Netzauges.Zoologische Jahrbücher (Anatomie und Ontogenie der Tiere) 46, 573–608.
Friedrichs, H. F. (1931) Beiträge zur Morphologie und Physiologie der Sehorgane der Cicindelinen (Col.)Zeitschrift für Morphologie und ökologie der Tiere 21, 1–172.
Hesse, R. (1901) Untersuchungen über die Organe der Lichtempfindung bei neideren Thieren. VII. Von der Arthropoden-Augen.Zeitschrift für Wissenschaftliche Zoologie 70, 347–473.
Hundertmark, A. (1936) Helligkeits- und Farbunterscheidungs vermögen der Eiraupen der Nonne (Lymantria monacha L.).Zeitschrift für vergleichende Physiologie 24, 42–57.
Hundertmark, A. (1937) Das Formenunterscheidungsvermögen der Eiraupen der Nonne (Lymantria monacha L.).Zeitschrift für vergleichende Physiologie 24, 563–82.
Ichikawa, T. &Tateda, H. (1980) Cellular patterns and spectral sensitivity of larval ocelli in the swallowtail butterflyPapilio.Journal of Comparative Physiology 139, 41–7.
Ichikawa, T. &Tateda, H. (1982a) Receptive field of the stemmata of the swallowtail butterflyPapilio.Journal of Comparative Physiology 146, 191–99.
Ichikawa, T. &Tateda, H. (1982b) Distribution of color receptors in the larval eyes of four species of Lepidoptera.Journal of Comparative Physiology 149, 317–24.
Kitabatake, S., Shimizu, I. &Kato, M. (1983) Wavelength-dependent properties of phototaxis in larvae ofBombyx mori.Photochemistry and Photobiology 37, 321–27.
Meyer-Rochow, W. B. (1974) Structure and function of the larval eye of sawflyPerga.Journal of Insect Physiology 20, 1565–91.
Nordlander, R. H. &Edwards, J. S. (1969a) Postembryonic brain development in the monarch butterfly,Danaus plexippus plexippus L. I. Cellular events during brain morphogenesis.Wilhelm Roux' Archiv 162, 197–217.
Nordlander, R. H. &Edwards, J. S. (1969b) Postembryonic brain development in the monarch butterfly,Danaus plexippus plexippus L. II. The optic lobes.Wilhelm Roux' Archiv 163, 197–220.
Otsuka, N. (1962) Histologisch-entowicklungsgeschichtliche Untersuchungen an Mauthnerschen Zellen von Fischen.Zeitschrift für Zellforschung und mikroskopische Anatomie 58, 33–50.
Panov, A. A. (1960) Bau des Insektengehirns während der postembryonalen entwicklung. III. Sehlappen.Revue d'Entomologie de l'URSS 39, 86–105 (in Russian with German summary).
Paulus, H. F. (1979) Eye structure and the monophyly of arthropoda. InArthropod Phylogeny (edited byGuputa, A. P.), pp. 299–383. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Paulus, H. F. &Schmidt, M. (1978) Evolutionswege zum Larval auge der Insekten: die Stemmata der Trichoptera und Lepidoptera.Zeitschrift für zoologische Systematik und Evolutionsforschung 16, 188–216.
Ribi, W. A. (1975) The neurons of the first optic ganglion of the bee,Apis mellifera.Advances in Anatomy 50, 1–43.
Ribi, W. A. (1976) The first optic ganglion of the bee. II. Topographical relationships of second order neurons within a cartridge and two groups of cartridges.Cell and Tissue Research 171, 359–73.
Strausfeld, N. J. (1971) The organization of the insect visual system (light microscopy). I. Projections and arrangements of neurons in lamina ganglionaris of Diptera.Zeitschrift für Zellforschung und Mikroskopische Anatomie 121, 377–441.
Strausfeld, N. J. &Nässel, D. R. (1981) Neuroarchitectures serving compound eyes of crustacea and insects.Handbook of Sensory Physiology VII 6B, pp. 1–132. New York, Heidelberg, Berlin: Springer Verlag.
Süffert, F. &Götz, B. (1936) Verhalten von Schmetterlingsraupen gegenüber farbigen Frächen.Naturwissenschaften 24, 815.
Toh, Y. &Iwasaki, M. (1982) Ocellar system of the swallowtail butterfly larva. II. Projection of retinular axons in the brain.Journal of Ultrastructure Research 78, 120–35.
Toh, Y. &Sagara, H. (1982) Ocellar system of the swallowtail butterfly larva. I. Structure of the lateral ocelli.Journal of Ultrastructure Research 78, 107–19.
Trujillo-Cenóz, O. (1965) Some aspects of the structural organization of the intermediate retina of Dipterans.Journal of Ultrastructure Research 13, 1–33.
Truman, J. W. (1978) Hormonal release of stereotyped motor programmes from the isolated nervous system of the cecropia silkmoth.Journal of Experimental Biology 74, 151–73.Zellsforschung und mikroskopische Anatomie 121, 377–441.
Wolburg-Buchholz, K. (1977) The superposition eye ofCloeon dipterum: The organization of the lamina ganglionaris.Cell and Tissue Research 177, 9–28.
Yamamoto, K. &Toh, Y. (1975) The fine structure of the lateral ocellus of the dobsonfly larva.Journal of Morphology 146, 415–30.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ichikawa, T., Tateda, H. Termination profiles of photoreceptor cells in the larval eye of the swallowtail butterfly. J Neurocytol 13, 227–238 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01148117
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01148117