Dim-light colour vision in the facultatively nocturnal Asian giant honeybee, Apis dorsata.
Proc Biol Sci
; 290(2004): 20231267, 2023 08 09.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37554033
ABSTRACT
We discovered nocturnal colour vision in the Asian giant honeybee Apis dorsata-a facultatively nocturnal species-at mesopic light intensities, down to half-moon light levels (approx. 10-2 cd m-2). The visual threshold of nocturnality aligns with their reported nocturnal activity down to the same light levels. Nocturnal colour vision in A. dorsata is interesting because, despite being primarily diurnal, its colour vision capabilities extend into dim light, while the 'model' European honeybee Apis mellifera is reported to be colour-blind at twilight. By employing behavioural experiments with naturally nesting A. dorsata colonies, we show discrimination of the trained colour from other stimuli during the day, and significantly, even at night. Nocturnal colour vision in bees has so far only been reported in the obligately nocturnal carpenter bee Xylocopa tranquebarica. The discovery of colour vision in these two bee species, despite differences in the extent of their nocturnality and the limitations of their apposition compound eye optics, opens avenues for future studies on visual adaptations for dim-light colour vision, their role in pollination of flowers at night, and the effect of light pollution on nocturnal activity in A. dorsata, a ubiquitous pollinator in natural, agricultural and urban habitats in the Asian tropics and sub-tropics.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Visão de Cores
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Proc Biol Sci
Assunto da revista:
BIOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Índia