Convergent escape behaviour from distinct visual processing of impending collision in fish and grasshoppers.

ABSTRACT: In animal species ranging from invertebrate to mammals, visually guided escape behaviours have been studied using looming stimuli, the two-dimensional expanding projection on a screen of an object approaching on a collision course at constant speed. The peak firing rate or membrane potential of neurons responding to looming stimuli often tracks a fixed threshold angular size of the approaching stimulus that contributes to the triggering of escape behaviours. To study whether this result holds more generally, we designed stimuli that simulate acceleration or deceleration over the course of object approach on a collision course. Under these conditions, we found that the angular threshold conveyed by collision detecting neurons in grasshoppers was sensitive to acceleration whereas the trigger

SUBMITTER: Dewell RB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10595048 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature