Uniform trichromacy in Alouatta caraya and Alouatta seniculus: behavioural and genetic colour vision evaluation

Frontiers in Zoology

José Augusto Pereira Carneiro Muniz¹  Leonardo Dutra Henriques²  Daniela Maria Oliveira Bonci²  Einat Hauzman³  Dora Fix Ventura³  Belinda S. W. Chang⁴  Givago da Silva Souza⁵  Luiz Carlos de Lima Silveira⁵  Olavo de Faria Galvão⁶  Paulo Roney Kilpp Goulart⁶ 

[1] Centro Nacional de Primatas, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Ministério da Saúde, Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil;Departamento de Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil;Departamento de Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil;Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil;Department of Cell and System Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada;Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil;Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil;Núcleo de Teoria e Pesquisa do Comportamento, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil;

关键词: Uniform Trichromacy;    Platyrrhini;    Colour discrimination ellipses;    Positive reinforcement;    Cambridge colour test;    Neotropical primates;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12983-021-00421-0

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Primate colour vision depends on a matrix of photoreceptors, a neuronal post receptoral structure and a combination of genes that culminate in different sensitivity through the visual spectrum. Along with a common cone opsin gene for short wavelengths (sws1), Neotropical primates (Platyrrhini) have only one cone opsin gene for medium-long wavelengths (mws/lws) per X chromosome while Paleotropical primates (Catarrhini), including humans, have two active genes. Therefore, while female platyrrhines may be trichromats, males are always dichromats. The genus Alouatta is inferred to be an exception to this rule, as electrophysiological, behavioural and molecular analyses indicated a potential for male trichromacy in this genus. However, it is very important to ascertain by a combination of genetic and behavioural analyses whether this potential translates in terms of colour discrimination capability. We evaluated two howler monkeys (Alouatta spp.), one male A. caraya and one female A. seniculus, using a combination of genetic analysis of the opsin gene sequences and a behavioral colour discrimination test not previously used in this genus. Both individuals completed the behavioural test with performances typical of trichromatic colour vision and the genetic analysis of the sws1, mws, and lws opsin genes revealed three different opsin sequences in both subjects. These results are consistent with uniform trichromacy in both male and female, with presumed spectral sensitivity peaks similar to Catarrhini, at ~ 430 nm, 532 nm, and 563 nm for S-, M- and L-cones, respectively.

【 授权许可】

CC BY