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The role of dermal photoreceptors during the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) spawning migration

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Abstract

Light avoidance in larval lampreys is mediated by dermal photoreceptors located in the tail. These photoreceptors continue to function in adults, but they seem redundant because post-metamorphic lampreys possess well-developed eyes. This study examined the role of dermal photoreceptors in adult sea lampreys by testing whether temperature-induced changes in refuge-seeking behavior are mediated by a reduction in dermal photosensitivity. In a lighted arena containing a single shaded refuge platform, lampreys at 22°C displayed five times less search activity and were less likely to attach beneath the refuge platform than lampreys at either 7 or 15°C. A behavioral assay for tail photosensitivity (locomotor response to tail illumination) revealed a corresponding reduction in dermal photosensitivity at 22°C. Moreover, the responses to head illumination (eyes and pineal) did not correspond with the observed light avoidance behaviors. The head was less responsive to light than the tail and was not influenced by temperature. These results provide strong evidence that the dermal photoreceptors continue to mediate light avoidance in adult lampreys, even though adults possess fully functional eyes. The fact that the eyes apparently do not take on this role suggests that there is functional specialization between these two light sensing systems.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Scott Hawes and Anne Eason for their assistance in conducting the experiments and transcribing the videos. Thanks also to Bob Frank and Matt Cornish for their technical assistance in the Aqualab. Funding for this research was provided by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. The experiments reported herein were performed in accordance with the “Principles of Animal Care”, publication N0. 86–23, revised 1985 of the National Institute of Health and with Canadian Council of Animal Care (CCAC) guidelines.

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  1. Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada

    Thomas R. Binder & D. Gordon McDonald

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  1. Thomas R. Binder
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  2. D. Gordon McDonald
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Correspondence to Thomas R. Binder.

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Binder, T.R., McDonald, D.G. The role of dermal photoreceptors during the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) spawning migration. J Comp Physiol A 194, 921–928 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-008-0364-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-008-0364-9

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