Abstract
The basic principle of motion detection by fibers of the optic lobes of flies were studied with a pair of small spots and a variety of paired intensity variations. These show that the process of correlation of adjacent field regions to detect motion is confined to a small area. The presence of small field units with small field adjacent inhibition in the system was detected. The optimum spot spacing for maximum reactions corresponded to the facet spacings. Selective motion detection responses from minimum information consisting of evaluating the difference between the spot intensities and the rate of change of the trailing spot relative to the motion direction was shown. However, additional properties best determined by white-noise experiments designed from this study were found.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arnett,D.W.: Receptive field organization of units in the first optic ganglion of diptera. Science 173, 929–931 (1971).
Bishop,L.G., Keehn,D.G., McCann,G.D.: Motion detection by interneurons of optic lobes and brain of the flies Calliphora Phaenicia and Musca domestica. J. Neurophysiol. 31 509–525 (1968).
Eckert,H.: Die spektrale Empfindlichkeit des Komplexauges von Musca. Kybernetik 9, 145–156 (1971).
McCann,G.D., Arnett,D.W.: Spectral and polarization sensitivity of the dipteran visual system. J. Gen. Physiol. (1972) in press.
McCann,G.D., Dill,J.C: Fundamental properties of intensity, form and motion perception in the visual nervous systems of Calliphora phaenicia and Musca domestica. J. Gen. Physiol. 53, 385–413 (1969).
McCann,G.D., Foster,S.F.: Binocular interactions of motion detection fibers in the optic lobes of flies. Kybernetik 8, 193–203 (1971).
Reichardt,W.: Autocorrelation principle for the evaluation of sensory information by the central nervous system. Pattern Recognition, pp. 212–223; editor Leonard Uke. New York: J. Wiley, 1966.
Reichardt,W.: Movement perception in insects. Proc. Int. School of Physics 465–493, (Enrico Fermi). New York: Academic Press 1969.
Strausfeld,N.J.: The organization of the insect visual system. Z. Zellforsh 121, 377–454 (1971).
Trujillo-Cenoz,O.: Some aspects of the structural organization of the medulla in muscoid flies. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 27, 533–553 (1969).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McCann, G.D. The fundamental mechanism of motion detection in the insect visual system. Kybernetik 12, 64–73 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00272462
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00272462