Receptive field properties and intensity-response functions of polarization-sensitive neurons of the optic tubercle in gregarious and solitarious locusts

摘要

many navigating animals rely on external visual signals for spatial orientation. Insects use mainly two mechanisms to calculate moving directions during flight or walking. In familiar areas, they are able to use visual landmarks as directional cues, whereas in unknown terrains and during long-distance migrations, compass signals from the sky are more relevant (Giurfa and Capaldi 1999; Collett and Collett 2000). Besides the direct position of the sun, the plane of sky polarization serves as a crucial reference for spatial directions during seasonal migration or homing (Wehner and Labhart 2006).