The eyes of the deep diving hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) enhance sensitivity to ultraviolet light
The mammalian visual range is approximately 400-700nm, although recent evidence suggests varying ultraviolet (UV) extensions in diverse terrestrial species. UV sensitivity may have advantages in the dim, blue light shifted environment experienced by submerged marine mammals. It may also be advantage...
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ftcityunivlondon:oai:openaccess.city.ac.uk:11849 2023-07-02T03:32:04+02:00 The eyes of the deep diving hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) enhance sensitivity to ultraviolet light Hogg, C. Neveu, M. Folkow, L. Stokkan, K-A. Kam, J. H. Douglas, R. H. Jeffery, G. 2015 text https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/11849/ https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/11849/1/Hogg%20et%20al%20%282015%29.pdf https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.011304 en eng https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/11849/1/Hogg%20et%20al%20%282015%29.pdf Hogg, C., Neveu, M., Folkow, L. , Stokkan, K-A., Kam, J. H., Douglas, R. H. https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/view/creators_id/r=2Eh=2Edouglas.html Jeffery, G.view all authorsEPJS_limit_names_shown_load( 'creators_name_11849_et_al', 'creators_name_11849_rest' ); (2015). The eyes of the deep diving hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) enhance sensitivity to ultraviolet light. Biology Open, 4, pp. 812-818. doi:10.1242/bio.011304 https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.011304 doi:10.1242/bio.011304 cc_by QH Natural history RE Ophthalmology Article PeerReviewed 2015 ftcityunivlondon https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.011304 2023-06-13T18:32:05Z The mammalian visual range is approximately 400-700nm, although recent evidence suggests varying ultraviolet (UV) extensions in diverse terrestrial species. UV sensitivity may have advantages in the dim, blue light shifted environment experienced by submerged marine mammals. It may also be advantageous when seals are hauled out as UV is reflected by snow and ice but absorbed by fur, enhancing visual contrast. Here we show that the pelagic hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) has a highly UV permissive cornea and lens. Seals like other carnivores have a tapetum lucidum (TL) reflecting light back through the retina increasing sensitivity. The TL in this seal is unusual being white and covering almost the entire retina unlike that in other carnivores. Spectral reflectance from its surface selectively increases the relative UV/blue components >10 times than other wavelengths. Retinal architecture is consistent with a high degree of convergence. Enhanced UV from a large TL surface with a high degree of retinal convergence will increase sensitivity at a cost to acuity. UV electrophysiological retina responses were only obtained to dim, rod mediated stimuli, with no evidence of cone input. As physiological measurements of threshold sensitivity are log units higher than those for psychophysical detection, these seals are likely to be more UV sensitive than our results imply. Hence, UV reflections from the TL will afford increased sensitivity in dim oceanic environments. Article in Journal/Newspaper Cystophora cristata hooded seal City University London: City Research Online Biology Open 4 7 812 818 |
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City University London: City Research Online |
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ftcityunivlondon |
language |
English |
topic |
QH Natural history RE Ophthalmology |
spellingShingle |
QH Natural history RE Ophthalmology Hogg, C. Neveu, M. Folkow, L. Stokkan, K-A. Kam, J. H. Douglas, R. H. Jeffery, G. The eyes of the deep diving hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) enhance sensitivity to ultraviolet light |
topic_facet |
QH Natural history RE Ophthalmology |
description |
The mammalian visual range is approximately 400-700nm, although recent evidence suggests varying ultraviolet (UV) extensions in diverse terrestrial species. UV sensitivity may have advantages in the dim, blue light shifted environment experienced by submerged marine mammals. It may also be advantageous when seals are hauled out as UV is reflected by snow and ice but absorbed by fur, enhancing visual contrast. Here we show that the pelagic hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) has a highly UV permissive cornea and lens. Seals like other carnivores have a tapetum lucidum (TL) reflecting light back through the retina increasing sensitivity. The TL in this seal is unusual being white and covering almost the entire retina unlike that in other carnivores. Spectral reflectance from its surface selectively increases the relative UV/blue components >10 times than other wavelengths. Retinal architecture is consistent with a high degree of convergence. Enhanced UV from a large TL surface with a high degree of retinal convergence will increase sensitivity at a cost to acuity. UV electrophysiological retina responses were only obtained to dim, rod mediated stimuli, with no evidence of cone input. As physiological measurements of threshold sensitivity are log units higher than those for psychophysical detection, these seals are likely to be more UV sensitive than our results imply. Hence, UV reflections from the TL will afford increased sensitivity in dim oceanic environments. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hogg, C. Neveu, M. Folkow, L. Stokkan, K-A. Kam, J. H. Douglas, R. H. Jeffery, G. |
author_facet |
Hogg, C. Neveu, M. Folkow, L. Stokkan, K-A. Kam, J. H. Douglas, R. H. Jeffery, G. |
author_sort |
Hogg, C. |
title |
The eyes of the deep diving hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) enhance sensitivity to ultraviolet light |
title_short |
The eyes of the deep diving hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) enhance sensitivity to ultraviolet light |
title_full |
The eyes of the deep diving hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) enhance sensitivity to ultraviolet light |
title_fullStr |
The eyes of the deep diving hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) enhance sensitivity to ultraviolet light |
title_full_unstemmed |
The eyes of the deep diving hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) enhance sensitivity to ultraviolet light |
title_sort |
eyes of the deep diving hooded seal (cystophora cristata) enhance sensitivity to ultraviolet light |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/11849/ https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/11849/1/Hogg%20et%20al%20%282015%29.pdf https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.011304 |
genre |
Cystophora cristata hooded seal |
genre_facet |
Cystophora cristata hooded seal |
op_relation |
https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/11849/1/Hogg%20et%20al%20%282015%29.pdf Hogg, C., Neveu, M., Folkow, L. , Stokkan, K-A., Kam, J. H., Douglas, R. H. https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/view/creators_id/r=2Eh=2Edouglas.html Jeffery, G.view all authorsEPJS_limit_names_shown_load( 'creators_name_11849_et_al', 'creators_name_11849_rest' ); (2015). The eyes of the deep diving hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) enhance sensitivity to ultraviolet light. Biology Open, 4, pp. 812-818. doi:10.1242/bio.011304 https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.011304 doi:10.1242/bio.011304 |
op_rights |
cc_by |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.011304 |
container_title |
Biology Open |
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4 |
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7 |
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812 |
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818 |
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