Some fish eyes are like ogres, and that gives them faster vision

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-11-22 11:01

Australia; QLD

Brian Gratwicke via Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-2.0

Australian researchers say they may have figured out why some fish have eyes with multiple rod layers. Rods are a type of light receptor in the retina which helps provide good vision in low light. While most animals have one layer, over 100 species of fish have multiple layers - called the multibank retina - and while these fish tend to be nocturnal, the exact advantage of the multibank retina was unclear. Using various different analysis techniques, the researchers say they found fish with multibank retinas had both faster vision and better sensitivity to bright and dim light intensities.

Media release

From: The Royal Society

Multiple rod layers increase the speed and sensitivity of vision in nocturnal reef fishes

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Summary: Most vertebrates have one layer of dim-light active rod photoreceptors. However, over 100 species of fish have multiple rod layers. Despite its prevalence, the function of this adaptation has remained unresolved. Using histology, electrophysiology and amino acid sequence analysis on nocturnal reef fishes, Fogg et al. demonstrate for the first time the sensory advantage of having multiple rod layers. They show that fish with multiple rod layers have both faster vision and enhanced sensitivity to bright and dim light intensities. This work sheds light on an unconventional vertebrate visual system and the visual capabilities of fishes from diverse oceanic ecosystems.

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Journal/
conference: Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland

Funder: This research was supported by an Australian Research Council (ARC) DECRA awarded to F.d.B. (DE180100949) and the Queensland Brain Institute. Furthermore, F.C. was supported by an ARC DECRA (DE200100620) and N.J.M. by an ARC Laureate Fellowship (FL140100197). L.F. was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Stipend and a Queensland Brain Institute Research Higher Degree Top Up Scholarship.

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