Polarization Sensitivity in Cephalopods: Behavioral Functions and Sensory Mechanisms

一些动物的眼睛有一个显著的特性，那就是能够探测到光的偏振这一特殊的物理特性。偏振光在水下尤为重要，有间接证据表明，一些海洋动物利用偏振光来探测环境线索。许多头足类软体动物（墨鱼、鱿鱼及其盟友）具有高度发达的视觉系统。墨鱼不仅可以使用偏振光作为宽视野环境的线索，还可以用它来展示身体上的图案，就像它们用彩色图案来伪装和社会展示一样。该项目结合了光度学（使用一种新的水下成像偏振计）、电生理学、显微镜学和乌贼行为学研究，作为探索偏振光如何成为重要的环境和行为视觉刺激的优秀模型系统。研究结果的重要性将超越视觉神经科学，有助于更好地了解重要的海洋生物，以及在水产养殖、光学传感器和机器视觉设计方面的潜在应用。

One of the remarkable properties of the eyes of some animals is the ability to detect the special physical property of polarization of light. Polarized light is particularly important underwater, and there is circumstantial evidence that some marine animals use polarized light to detect environmental cues. Many cephalopod molluscs (cuttlefish, squid, and allies) have highly developed visual systems. Cuttlefish not only may use polarized light cues for wide-field environmental cues, but may use it also for displays of patterns on the body, as they do with color patterns for camouflage and social displays. This project combines photometery (using a new underwater imaging polarimeter), electrophysiology, microscopy, and ethological studies of cuttlefish as an excellent model system for exploring how polarized light might be an important environmental and behavioral visual stimulus. Results will be important beyond visual neuroscience, for a better understanding of important marine organisms, and for potential applications in aquaculture and in the design of optical sensors and machine vision.