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Color and polarization vision in foraging Papilio

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Abstract

This paper gives an overview of behavioral studies on the color and polarization vision of the Japanese yellow swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus. We focus on indoor experiments on foraging individuals. Butterflies trained to visit a disk of certain color correctly select that color among various other colors and/or shades of gray. Correct selection persists under colored illumination, but is systematically shifted by background colors, indicating color constancy and simultaneous color contrast. While their eyes contain six classes of spectral receptors, their wavelength discrimination performance indicates that their color vision is tetrachromatic. P. xuthus innately prefers brighter targets, but can be trained to select dimmer ones under certain conditions. Butterflies trained to a dark red stimulus select an orange disk presented on a bright gray background over one on dark gray. The former probably appears darker to them, indicating brightness contrast. P. xuthus has a strong innate preference for vertically polarized light, but the selection of polarized light changes depending on the intensity of simultaneously presented unpolarized light. Discrimination of polarization also depends on background intensity. Similarities between brightness and polarization vision suggest that P. xuthus perceive polarization angle as brightness, such that vertical polarization appears brighter than horizontal polarization.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Finlay Stewart for critical reading the manuscript and also thank two anonymous reviewers for valuable suggestions to improve the presentation. This study was supported in part by Grants-in-aid from the JSPS (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) to M. K. and K. A. All experiments were conducted according to the MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan) guidelines for proper conduct of animal experiments and related activities in academic research institutions.

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  1. Laboratory of Neuroethology, Sokendai-Hayama (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama, 240-0115, Japan

    Michiyo Kinoshita & Kentaro Arikawa

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  1. Michiyo Kinoshita
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  2. Kentaro Arikawa
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Correspondence to Michiyo Kinoshita.

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Kinoshita, M., Arikawa, K. Color and polarization vision in foraging Papilio . J Comp Physiol A 200, 513–526 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-014-0903-5

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