Direction‐sensitive partitioning of the honeybee optomotor system

ABSTRACT. The horizontal motion‐detecting system controlling optomotor head‐turning behaviour in honeybees, Apis mellifera, was found to be partitioned into two separate subsystems. Each subsystem is direction‐specific such that visual stimulation in the preferred direction elicited a high level of responses that correcly followed the movement, whereas stimulation in the non‐preferred direction resulted in response levels comparable to or lower than those for blinded controls. The results indicate that medial eye regions are specialized for the detection of posterior‐to‐anterior movements and lateral regions are specialized for detecting anterior‐to‐posterior motion. A model suggesting possible neural correlates for this functional subdivision of the optomotor response is proposed.

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