Investigating mechanisms of polarized light sensitivity in the small white butterfly Pieris rapae

Abstract

There is an ever increasing number of arthropod taxa shown to have polarization sensitivity throughout their compound eyes. However, the mechanisms underlying arthropod perception of polarized reflections from objects such as plants are not well understood. The small white butterfly, Pieris rapae, has been demonstrated to exploit foliar polarized reflections, specifically the degree of linear polarization (DoLP), to recognize host plants. The well-described visual system of P. rapae includes several photoreceptor types (red, green, blue) that are sensitive to polarized light. Yet, the mechanism underlying the behavioral responses of P. rapae to stimuli with different DoLPs remains unknown. To investigate potential mechanisms, we designed several two-choice behavioral bioassays, displaying plant images on paired LCD monitors which allowed for independent control of polarization, color and intensity. We found that shifts in image intensity had a similar effect on P. rapae preferences for stimuli dissimilar in DoLP and dissimilar in color, suggesting DoLP differences are perceived as color. When a DoLP choice was offered between plant images manipulated in a manner to minimizing the response of blue, red, or blue and red photoreceptors, P. rapae shifted its preference for DoLP, suggesting a role for red, green and blue polarization-sensitive photoreceptors. Modeling of P. rapae photoreceptor responses to test stimuli suggests that differential DoLP is not perceived solely as a color difference. Our combined results suggest that P. rapae females process and interpret polarization reflections in a way different from that described for other polarization-sensitive taxa.