Photobehaviors ofthe calanoid copepod Calanus sinicus from the Yellow Sea to visible and UV-B radiation as a function of wavelength and intensity

The effects of wavelength-specific visible light, white light, and ultraviolet-B (UV-B, 280- 315 nm) on selected behaviors, grazing rate, spawning rate, and hatching rate of the marine copepod Calanus sinicus collected from the Yellow Sea were studied. Calanus sinicus placed in a partitioned experimental system responded positively phototaxis to blue-cyan and yellow light but negatively to orange light and UVB. No obvious dodge activity was found among C. sinicus irradiated with <0.005 mW/cm^2 UV-B. Under 0.20, 0.30 and 0.50 mW/cm^2 UV-B radiation, the lethal half times of individuals were 30.47, 2.86, and 1.96 h, respectively. Grazing of C. sinicus was restrained at >0.10 mW/cm^2 UV-B, whereas yellow-red light stimulated grazing. Egg production rate was highest at a white-light intensity of 1.58 mW/cm^2, with an average rate of 10.04 eggs/(female·d). These results are consistent with the observed phenomenon that C. sinicus in the Yellow Sea mostly spawn near dawn. Our results indicate that light intensity and spectrum are important factors affecting the diel vertical migration of C. sinicus under natural conditions in the Yellow Sea.

Correlation between photoreceptor injury-regeneration and behavior in a zebrafish model

Direct exposure to intensive visible light can lead to solar retinopathy, including macular injury. The signs and symptoms include central scotoma, metamorphopsia, and decreased vision. However, there have been few studies examining retinal injury due to intensive light stimulation at the cellular level. Neural network arrangements and gene expression patterns in zebrafish photoreceptors are similar to those observed in humans, and photoreceptor injury in zebrafish can induce stem cell-based cellular regeneration. Therefore, the zebrafish retina is considered a useful model for studying photoreceptor injury in humans. In the current study, the central retinal photoreceptors of zebrafish were selectively ablated by stimulation with high-intensity light. Retinal injury, cell proliferation and regeneration of cones and rods were assessed at 1, 3 and 7 days post lesion with immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Additionally, a light/dark box test was used to assess zebrafish behavior. The results revealed that photoreceptors were regenerated by 7 days after the light-induced injury. However, the regenerated cells showed a disrupted arrangement at the lesion site. During the injury-regeneration process, the zebrafish exhibited reduced locomotor capacity, weakened phototaxis and increased movement angular velocity. These behaviors matched the morphological changes of retinal injury and regeneration in a number of ways. This study demonstrates that the zebrafish retina has a robust capacity for regeneration. Visual impairment and stress responses following high-intensity light stimulation appear to contribute to the alteration of behaviors.

Similarities and differences in the peering-jump behavior of three grasshopper species （Orthoptera： Caelifera）

The peering-jump behavior was studied for the common field grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus, the meadow grasshopper C. parallelus and the alpine grasshopper Miramella alpina （Orthoptera, Caelifera）. It was found that immediately before jumping M. alpina executes primarily unilateral object-related peering movements, with approximately twice the amplitude and velocity of the predominantly bilateral object-related peering movements of the other two species. Whereas M. alpina almost always jumped toward the black stripes in the experimental arena, the other species jumped toward both the black stripes and the white spaces between them. All three species preferred the same pattern of black stripes, which permitted them to view one black stripe frontally, with an additional black stripe to the left and right, in the lateral visual field. The similarities and differences in the peering-jump behavior of the three grasshopper species is discussed with regard to visual perception （parallax cues） and environmental adaptation.

Enhancement of the geomagnetic field reduces the phototaxis of rice brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens associated with frataxin down-regulation

The geomagnetic field(GMF)is an environmental cue that provides directional information for animals.The intensity of GMF is varied over space and time.Variations in the GMF intensity afect the navigation of animals and their physiology.In this study,the phototaxis of the migratory insect rice planthopper Nilaparvata lugens(N.lugens)and frataxin in N.lugens(NI-fh),which is a mitochondrial protein required for cellular iron homeostasis and iron-sulfur cluster assembly,were investigated by using different intensities of magnetic field.From the results,individuals of N.lugens showed decreased phototaxis when reared and tested in a behavioral arena under a strong magnetic field.Besides the reduction in performance,an accompanying ffect of the strong magnetic field condition was a reduced level of Nl-fh-messenger RNA,and a NI-fh knockdown indeed impaired the phototactic behavior in a tested sample of insects.This leads to the conclusion that the expression of frataxin is dependent on the strength of the surrounding magnetic field and that functional frataxin facilitates phototactic behavior in N.lugens.