Seeing without eyes: the evolution of non-visual photoreceptors in vertebrates

澳大利亚的水下生物多样性是首屈一指的，其特有物种代表了脊椎动物进化的最早阶段，其中许多物种严重依赖视觉生存。追踪光探测和图像形成的进化将为我们的脊椎动物祖先的生活方式、驱动物种形成和颜色交流的环境选择压力提供重要信息。最佳光环境的特征和眼外光检测也将有助于保护和管理野生和圈养环境中的特有物种。

Australia's underwater biodiversity is second to none with endemic species representing the earliest stages in vertebrate evolution, many of them relying heavily on vision for survival. Tracing the evolution of light detection and image formation will provide crucial information about the lifestyles of our vertebrate ancestors, the environmental selection pressures driving speciation and colour communication. Characterisation of optimal light environments and extra-ocular light detection will also help protect and manage endemic species in wild and captive environments.