SPECTRAL SENSITIVITY OF THE COMPOUND EYES IN THE PURPLE LAND CRAB GECARCINUS LATERALIS (FREMINVILLE)

¹ The Thomas Jenkins Department of Biophysics, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
² Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland at Baltimore County, Catonsville, Maryland 2l228

The spectral sensitivities (S()) of dark-adapted compound eyes of the purple land crab Gecarcinus lateralis possess a broad maximum in the blue-green, 420-530 nm, when measured by electroretinographic (ERG) techniques. Selective adaptation experiments showed large changes in sensitivity but did not isolate different receptor types. A photopigment with maximal absorption at 487 nm was identified in the rhabdoms by microspectrophotometry. Besides the presence of a dominant green receptor system, the existence of a hump in the short wavelength region in S() suggests the presence of a blue-sensitive system as well. It is hypothesized that two photopigments (P487 and P440) in conjunction with screening pigment(s) mediate broad visual maximum in the blue-green in the purple land crab.

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