Fairy wrasses perceive and respond to their deep red fluorescent coloration.

ABSTRACT: Fluorescence enables the display of wavelengths that are absent in the natural environment, offering the potential to generate conspicuous colour contrasts. The marine fairy wrasse Cirrhilabrus solorensis displays prominent fluorescence in the deep red range (650-700 nm). This is remarkable because marine fishes are generally assumed to have poor sensitivity in this part of the visual spectrum. Here, we investigated whether C. solorensis males can perceive the fluorescence featured in this species by testing whether the presence or absence of red fluorescence affects male-male interactions under exclusive blue illumination. Given that males respond aggressively towards mirror-image stimuli, we quantified agonistic behaviour against mirrors covered with filters that did or did not absorb lo

SUBMITTER: Gerlach T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4071555 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature