Summary
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1.
The dorsal light reaction has been observed in Daphnia magna Straus with infra-red macrophotography. The body axis (antero-posterior axis) of the Daphnia assumes orientations of 0° to ±40° (median values) from the direction of a light source rather the 90° reported for other arthropods.
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2.
When Daphnia magna are exposed to a water current moving perpendicularly to the light axis, the body axis orientations are biased toward the current direction. At a current velocity of 0.6 cm/s, half of the median orientations do not differ significantly from a sector of the dorsal light reaction orientations facing the current. The remaining median orientations do differ significantly (p<0.05) and tend to conform more to the direction of the current. At a current velocity of 1.3 cm/s the, body axis orientations tend to conform even more to the direction of current flow (Fig. 6).
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3.
Biasing of the angular orientations toward the direction of the water current does not happen in total darkness nor at light intensities below 70 erg/cm2/s (the reported threshold for the dorsal light reaction in Daphnia magna).
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4.
The above facts yield the conclusion that the dorsal light reaction is responsible for the ability of Daphnia magna to orientate into water currents.
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Submitted as part of a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Yale University.
Professors G. Evelyn Hutchinson, John L. Brooks, and Hilary L. Seal of my thesis committee gave me valuable advice and criticism. Professor Talbot H. Waterman provided both encouragement and equipment for this study. Visiting Professor Peter Moller of Hunter College criticized the manuscript and engaged in many fruitful discussions of the work. Financial assistance was provided by the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Yale University, Sigma Xi, and a National Science Foundation Training Grant administered by G. Evelyn Hutchinson.
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Stavn, R.H. The application of the dorsal light reaction for orientation in water currents by Daphnia magna Straus. Z. Vergl. Physiol. 70, 349–362 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00298190
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00298190