Dual Receptive Fields Underlying Target and Wide-Field Motion Sensitivity in Looming-Sensitive Descending Neurons.

ABSTRACT: Responding rapidly to visual stimuli is fundamental for many animals. For example, predatory birds and insects alike have amazing target detection abilities, with incredibly short neural and behavioral delays, enabling efficient prey capture. Similarly, looming objects need to be rapidly avoided to ensure immediate survival, as these could represent approaching predators. Male Eristalis tenax hoverflies are nonpredatory, highly territorial insects that perform high-speed pursuits of conspecifics and other territorial intruders. During the initial stages of the pursuit, the retinal projection of the target is very small, but this grows to a larger object before physical interaction. Supporting such behaviors, E. tenax and other insects have both target-tuned and loom-sensitive

SUBMITTER: Nicholas S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10368147 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature