Visually targeted reaching in horse-head grasshoppers.pdf (670.24 kB)
Visually targeted reaching in horse-head grasshoppers
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 07:18 authored by Jeremy NivenJeremy Niven, Swidbert R Ott, Stephen M RogersVisually targeted reaching to a specific object is a demanding neuronal task requiring the translation of the location of the object from a two-dimensionsal set of retinotopic coordinates to a motor pattern that guides a limb to that point in three-dimensional space. This sensorimotor transformation has been intensively studied in mammals, but was not previously thought to occur in animals with smaller nervous systems such as insects. We studied horse-head grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Proscopididae) crossing gaps and found that visual inputs are sufficient for them to target their forelimbs to a foothold on the opposite side of the gap. High-speed video analysis showed that these reaches were targeted accurately and directly to footholds at different locations within the visual field through changes in forelimb trajectory and body position, and did not involve stereotyped searching movements. The proscopids estimated distant locations using peering to generate motion parallax, a monocular distance cue, but appeared to use binocular visual cues to estimate the distance of nearby footholds. Following occlusion of regions of binocular overlap, the proscopids resorted to peering to target reaches even to nearby locations. Monocular cues were sufficient for accurate targeting of the ipsilateral but not the contralateral forelimb. Thus, proscopids are capable not only of the sensorimotor transformations necessary for visually targeted reaching with their forelimbs but also of flexibly using different visual cues to target reaches. © 2012 The Royal Society.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Published version
Journal
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological SciencesISSN
0962-8452Publisher
The Royal SocietyExternal DOI
Volume
279Page range
3697-3705Event location
EnglandDepartment affiliated with
- Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2020-06-23First Open Access (FOA) Date
2020-06-23First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2020-06-23Usage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedKeywords
Licence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC