Sensory systems and behaviour

10 important questions on Sensory systems and behaviour

What is understood with perceptions?

Conversion of energy into an electrical signal in the nervous system

What are chemosensory systems?

  • Taste: gustatory receptors detect dissolved molecules
  • Smell: olfactory receptors detect airborne molecules

What is true about scent tracking in humans?

Two thirds of the subjects were capable of following a scent trail (21 of 32 subjects)

The poor reputation of human olfaction may reflect, in part, behavioral demands rather than ultimate abilities
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What are the functions of photoreception?

  • Light detection
  • Image formation
  • Colour discrimination

What is true about opsin genes in primates?

Opsin genes are located on autosomes (blue) and sex chromosomes (red-green), and colour vision abilities are related to ecology/nocturnal life style.

In new world monkeys, males are always dichromat (can see two colours), and females are in homozygous state dichromat and in heterozygote state trichromat

Dichromasy is handy for nocturnal animals, trichromacy for diurnal animals

Why is colour blindness not common? And why does this still exist?

Because colour vision is necessary for survival. It is said that colour blind people could see better in the dark, but no evidence for that. It could also be a genetic trade off (that it increases survival). Also, colour vision is not necessary nowadays to survive

Explain the lateral line system in fish (mechanoreception)

A mechanoreceptor system that consists of pits or tubes that run along the side of the fish's body and head. These pits contain sensory receptors called neuromasts, which provide information about water velocity and acceleration, as well as the direction of water movements.

How can a shark detect weak electric fields?

It has small holes, ampullae of Lorenzini. These are located on the head and consist of crystalline gel and electrosensitive neurons.

How does magnetoreception work?

Animals can detect the magnetic field of the earth. How it works is not known

Many insects can detect 20-100 kHz frequencies, that corresponds to the typical bat echolocation frequencies. It has evolved at least 18 times independently. How is this called?

Predator and prey sensory systems co-evolve

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