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Rod and cone pigments of the Atlantic guitarfish,Rhinobatos lentiginosus Garman

1990; Wiley; Volume: 256; Issue: S5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/jez.1402560512

1097-010X

Samuel H. Gruber, Ellis R. Loew, William N. McFarland,

Fish biology, ecology, and behavior

Using both extraction- and micro-spectrophotometric (MSP) methods the visual pigment(s) from the rods and cones of the Atlantic guitarfish, Rhinobatos lentiginosus, were shown to be spectrally similar, if not identical (λmax = 498–499 nm). Color vision, therefore, is unlikely unless mediated via colored oil droplets in the inner segments. The identical λmax for the rod and cone pigments suggest that vision in both dim and bright light may correlate with the underwater spectrum over the depths and the times of day that guitarfish are active. The primary advantage of the blue-green sensitive visual pigments, we suggest, is to enhance the contrast of targets silhouetted against the background spacelight.