TY - JOUR
T1 - Interspecific variation in the visual pigments of deep-sea fishes
AU - Partridge, J. C.
AU - Shand, Julia
AU - Archer, S. N.
AU - Lythgoe, J. N.
AU - van Groningen-Luyben, W. A.H.M.
PY - 1989/7/1
Y1 - 1989/7/1
N2 - Visual pigments in the rods of 38 species of deep-sea fish were examined by microspectrophotometry. 33 species were found to have a single rhodopsin with a wavelength of maximum absorbance (λmax) in the range 470-495 nm. Such visual pigments have absorbance maxima close to the wavelengths of maximum spectral transmission of oceanic water. 5 species, however, did not conform to this pattern and visual pigments were found with λmax values ranging from 451 nm to 539 nm. In 4 of these species two visual pigments were found located in two types of rod. Some 2-pigment species which have unusual red sensitivity, also have red-emitting photophores. These species have both rhodopsin and porphyropsin pigments in their retinae, which was confirmed by HPLC, and the two pigments are apparently located in separate rods in the same retinal area. In deep-sea fishes the occurrence of 'unusual' visual pigments seems to be correlated with aspects of the species' depth ranges. In addition to ecological influences we present evidence, in the form of λmax spectral clustering, that indicates the degree of molecular constraint imposed on the evolution of visual pigments in the deep-sea.
AB - Visual pigments in the rods of 38 species of deep-sea fish were examined by microspectrophotometry. 33 species were found to have a single rhodopsin with a wavelength of maximum absorbance (λmax) in the range 470-495 nm. Such visual pigments have absorbance maxima close to the wavelengths of maximum spectral transmission of oceanic water. 5 species, however, did not conform to this pattern and visual pigments were found with λmax values ranging from 451 nm to 539 nm. In 4 of these species two visual pigments were found located in two types of rod. Some 2-pigment species which have unusual red sensitivity, also have red-emitting photophores. These species have both rhodopsin and porphyropsin pigments in their retinae, which was confirmed by HPLC, and the two pigments are apparently located in separate rods in the same retinal area. In deep-sea fishes the occurrence of 'unusual' visual pigments seems to be correlated with aspects of the species' depth ranges. In addition to ecological influences we present evidence, in the form of λmax spectral clustering, that indicates the degree of molecular constraint imposed on the evolution of visual pigments in the deep-sea.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0024486422&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/BF00610445
DO - 10.1007/BF00610445
M3 - Article
C2 - 2926694
AN - SCOPUS:0024486422
VL - 164
SP - 513
EP - 529
JO - Journal of Comparative Physiology A: sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology
JF - Journal of Comparative Physiology A: sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology
SN - 0340-7594
IS - 4
ER -