Abstract
With the exception of the stellate sturgeon, which has only cones, all acipenseriform species studied have a duplex retina. The retina is dominated by rods, but about 20% of the photoreceptors are cones. The rods are structurally similar to those of vertebrates in general. Most rods have outer segments that are broad and long, but at least one species has a very rare, very slender rod as well. Cones are also typical in structure, and they too are rather robust. With one exception, the inner segment of each cone houses a colorless oil droplet, the function of which is unknown. Packing density of both rods and cones is relatively low, indicating that both scotopic and photopic acuity is less than that of other nocturnal creatures. The visual pigment in the rods of all species studied has a peak absorbance near 540 nm. All species studied have multiple cone pigments and, therefore, the photoreceptor basis for wavelength discrimination. However, one cannot yet say whether or not any sturgeon or paddlefish has color vision. All visual pigments are based on the vitamin A2 chromophore, and there is no evidence that there is a shift to the vitamin A 1 chromophore with change of habitat or with age. At least one species does change its cone pigment complement with age. Larval white sturgeon up to 10 weeks of age have only green-sensitive cones; after 10 weeks, blue-sensitive and red-sensitive cones are also present.
Sharks also have a duplex retina with both rods and cones. The cone population varies from ca. 1 % in bottom dwelling species to ca. 20% in diurnal predators that feed near the surface. The rods are typical but much thinner than those of the acipenseriforms. Cones are also typical and are also relatively small. Peak absorbance of shark rod pigments varies from 472 nm to 502 nm and appears to be correlated with depth of habitat. No absorbance measurements have been made from shark cones, so the nature of the cone pigment or pigments is unknown. It is also not known if any species of shark has color vision. One species, the lemon shark, shifts its rod visual pigment from a vitamin A2 form in the juvenile to a vitamin A1 form in the adult, a shift correlated with a change in the spectral environment of the habitat. Otherwise, all shark visual pigments thus far studied are based on vitamin A1
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Sillman, A.J., Dahlin, D.A. (2004). The Photoreceptors and Visual Pigments of Sharks and Sturgeons. In: von der Emde, G., Mogdans, J., Kapoor, B.G. (eds) The Senses of Fish. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1060-3_2
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