High speed video of anuran larval behaviour

蝌蚪，尽管看起来很简单，却有着非常复杂的行为。例如，他们有转向偏差，这意味着他们在受到惊吓时或在浮出水面大口呼吸空气后潜水时，转向一侧的频率要比转向另一侧的频率高得多。然而，有些物种喜欢向左，有些则喜欢向右。为什么不同的物种有这样的偏好是未知的。我的研究的一个主要部分是针对理解蝌蚪这种“利手”的适应意义。我很想知道为什么蝌蚪会有这种特殊的用手习惯，以及它们的用手习惯是否可以从生态学、大脑解剖学和进化关系中预测出来。 蝌蚪也有精心制作的外部口器，它们可以用它来感知、抓取，然后迅速撕开藻类薄膜，然后将其吸入口中作为食物。因此，除了研究蝌蚪的用手习惯外，我也想知道在真实的生活中，有着不寻常口器的蝌蚪是如何使用它们的。 我感兴趣的过程发生得非常快。例如，有些蝌蚪可以在不到100毫秒的时间内转动180 °，张开和闭合嘴巴所需的时间与你我眨眼所需的时间大致相同。为了观察和研究这些过程，需要一台高速摄像机。我正在寻求NSERC资金只是这样一个相机。 为了研究各种蝌蚪的行为和生物力学，我需要去一些青蛙种类比加拿大更多的地方。为了研究健康蝌蚪的自然行为，我需要对实验室中没有长时间饲养的蝌蚪进行实地研究。因此，我请求提供资金，以购买一台便携、紧凑、坚固、易于在实地使用的高速摄像机。

Tadpoles, as simple as they appear, have remarkably complex behaviours. They have, for example, turning biases, which means that they turn significantly more often to one side than the other when scared or when diving after having come up to the surface for a gulp of air. However, some species prefer to turn to the left and some to the right. Why different species have such preferences is not known. A major part of my research is directed at understanding the adaptive significance of such "handedness" in tadpoles. I would like to know why tadpoles have the specific handedness that they do, and whether their handedness can be predicted from their ecology, brain anatomy, and evolutionary relationships.   Tadpoles also have elaborate external mouthparts with which they can sense, grasp, and then rapidly tear apart algal films, which are then drawn into their mouths for food. Thus, in addition to studying handedness in tadpoles, I would also like to know how tadpoles with unusual mouthparts use them in real life.   The processes that interest me occur very quickly. Some tadpoles, for example, can turn 180° in less than 100 ms and take about the same amount of time to open and close their mouths that you and I take to blink. To observe and study such processes, one needs a high-speed video camera. I am seeking NSERC funds for just such a camera.   To study the behaviour and biomechanics of a diversity of tadpoles I need to go places with a greater variety of frog fauna than occurs in Canada. To study the natural behaviours of healthy tadpoles I need to do field studies with tadpoles that have not been kept for a long time in the laboratory. I am therefore requesting funds for a high-speed video camera that is portable, compact, rugged, and that can be easily used in the field.