Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

The lens eyes of the box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora and Chiropsalmus sp. are slow and color-blind

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Comparative Physiology A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Box jellyfish, or cubomedusae, possess an impressive total of 24 eyes of four morphologically different types. Compared to other cnidarians they also have an elaborate behavioral repertoire, which for a large part seems to be visually guided. Two of the four types of cubomedusean eyes, called the upper and the lower lens eye, are camera type eyes with spherical fish-like lenses. Here we explore the electroretinograms of the lens eyes of the Caribbean species, Tripedalia cystophora, and the Australian species, Chiropsalmus sp. using suction electrodes. We show that the photoreceptors of the lens eyes of both species have dynamic ranges of about 3 log units and slow responses. The spectral sensitivity curves for all eyes peak in the blue-green region, but the lower lens eye of T. cystophora has a small additional peak in the near UV range. All spectral sensitivity curves agree well with the theoretical absorbance curve of a single opsin, strongly suggesting color-blind vision in box jellyfish with a single receptor type. A single opsin is supported by selective adaptation experiments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Berger EW (1898) The histological structure of the eyes of Cubomedusae. J Comp Neurol 8(3):223–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buskey EJ (2003) Behavioral adaptations of the cubozoan medusa Tripedalia cystophora for feeding on copepod (Dioithona oculata) swarms. Mar Biol 142:225–232

    Google Scholar 

  • Claus C (1878) Ueber Charybdea marsupialis. Arbeiten aus dem zoologischen Institute Universität Wien 1(2):1–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Coates MM (2003) Visual ecology and functional morphology of Cubozoa (Cnidaria). Integra Comp Biol 43:542–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coates MM, Garm A, Theobald JC, Thompson SH, Nilsson DE (2006) The spectral sensitivity in the lens eyes of a box jellyfish, Tripedalia cystophora. J Exp Biol 209:3758–3765

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coates MM, Theobald JC (2004) Optimal visual parameters for a cubozoan jellyfish in the mangrove environment. In: Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting Abstracts. New Orleans. pp 316

  • Derby CD (1995) Single unit electrophysiological recordings from crustacean chemoreceptor neurons. In: Spielman AI, Brand JG (eds) Experimental cell biology of taste and olfaction. Current techniques and protocols. CRC, New York pp 241–250

    Google Scholar 

  • Garm A, Ekström P, Boudes M, Nilsson DE (2006) Rhopalia are integrated parts of the central nervous system in box jellyfish. Cell Tissue Res 325:333–343

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon MC, Seymour J (2004) Growth and age determination of the Tropical Australian Cubozoan Chiropsalmus Sp. Hydrobiologia 530/31:339–345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Govadovskii VI, Fyhrquist N, Reuter T, Kuzmin DG, Donner K (2000) In search of the visual pigment template. Visual Neurosci 17:509–528

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamner WM, Jones MS, Hamner PP (1995) Swimming, feeding, circulation and vision in the australian box jellyfish, Chironex fleckeri (Cnidaria, Cubozoa). Mar Freshw Res 46:985–990

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hartwick RF (1991) Observations on the anatomy, behaviour, reproduction and life cycle of the cubozoan Carybdea sivickisi. Hydrobiologia 216/217:171–179

    Google Scholar 

  • Hertwig O, Hertwig R (1878) Das Nervensystem und die Sinnesorgane der Medusen. Monographisch Dargestellt Universität Jena

  • Howard J, Dubs A, Payne R (1984) The dynamics of phototransduction in insects. J Comp Physiol A 154:707–718

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kinsey B (1986) Barnes on box jellyfish. James Cook University, Townsville, pp 1–95

  • Land MF (1981) Optics and vision in invertebrates. In: Autrum H (ed) Comparative physiology and evolution of vision in invertebrates, Vol VII/6B. Springer, Berlin, pp 472–592

  • Larson RJ (1976) Cubomedusae: feeding, functional morphology, behaviour, and phylogenetic position. In: Mackie GO (eds) Coelanterate ecology and behaviour. Plenum, New York pp 237–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Laska G, Hündgen M (1982) Morphologie und Ultrastruktur der Lichtsinnesorgane von Tripedalia cystophora Conant (Cnidaria, Cubozoa). Zool J Anat 108:107–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Laughlin SB (1981) Neural principles in the peripheral visual systems of invertebrates. In: Autrum H (ed) Comparative physiology and evolution of vision in invertebrates, Vol VII/6B. Springer, Berlin, pp 135–280

  • Lewis C, Long TAF (2005) Courtship and reproduction in Carybdea sivickisi (Cnidaria: Cubozoa). Mar Biol 147:477–483

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leys SP, Cronin TW, Degnan BM, Marshall JN (2002) Spectral sensitivity in a sponge larva. J Comp Physiol A 188:199–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mackie GO (2004) Central neural circuitry in the jellyfish Aglantha: a model “simple nervous system”. Neuro-Signals 13:5–19

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin VJ (2002) Photoreceptors of cnidarians. Can J Zool 80:1703–1722

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin VJ (2004) Photoreceptors of cubozoan jellyfish. Hydrobiologia 530/531:135–144

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matsumoto GI (1995) Observations on the anatomy and behaviour of the cubozoan Carybdea rastonii Haacke. Mar Freshw Behav Physiol 26:139–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Maximov VV (2000) Environmental factors which may have led to the appearance of colour vision. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Ser 355:1239–1242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nilsson DE, Coates MM, Gislén l, Skogh C, Garm A (2005) Advanced optics in a jellyfish eye. Nature 435:201–205

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Passano LM (1982) Scyphozoa and Cubozoa. In: Shelton GAB (eds) Electrical conduction and behaviour in “simple” invertebrates. Clarendon, Oxford pp 149–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearse JS, Pearse VB (1978) Vision in cubomedusan jellyfish. Science 199:458–458

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raffaele P (2005) Killers in paradise. Smithsonian, pp 80–87

  • Shorten MO, Devenport J, Seymour J, Cross MC, Carrette TJ, Woodward G, Cross TF (2005) Kinematic analysis of swimming in Australian box jellyfish—Chiropsalmus sp. and Chironex fleckeri (Cubozoa, Cnidaria, Chirodropidae). J Zool (Lond) 267(4):371–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Singla CL (1974) Ocelli of hydromedusae. Cell Tissue Res 149:413–429

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singla CL, Weber C (1982) Fine structure of the ocellus of Sarsia tubulosa (Hydrozoa, Anthomedusae). Zoomorphology 100:11–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skogh C, Garm A, Nilsson DE, Ekström P (2006) The bilateral symmetric rhopalial nervous system of box jellyfish. J Morphol 267:1391–1405

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart SE (1996) Field behavior of Tripedalia cystephora (class Cubozoa). Mar Freshw Behav Physiol 27(2–3):175–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takasu N, Yoshida M (1984) Freeze-fracture and histofluoresence studies on photoreceptive membranes of medusan ocelli. Zool Sci (Tokyo) 1:367–374

    Google Scholar 

  • Toh Y, Yoshida M, Tateda H (1979) Fine structure of the ocellus of the hydromedusan, Spirocodon saltatrix. I. Receptor cells. J Ultrastruc Res 68:341–352

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warrant EJ, Kelber A, Gislén A, Greiner B, Ribi W, Wcislo WT (2004) Nocturnal vision and landmark orientation in a tropical halictid bee. Curr Biol 14(15):1309–1318

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warrant EJ, Locket AN (2004) Vision in the deep sea. Biol Rev 79:671–712

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weber C (1982a) Electrical activities of a type of electroretinogram recorded from the ocellus of a jellyfish, Polyorchis penicillatus (Hydromedusae). J Exp Zool 223:231–243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weber C (1982b) Electrical activity in response to light of the ocellus of the hydromedusan, Sarsia tubulosa. Biol Bull 162:413–422

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto M, Yoshida M (1980) Fine structure of ocelli of an anthomedusan, Nemopsis dofleini, with special reference to synaptic organization. Zoomorphology 96:169–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamasu T, Yoshida M (1973) Electron microscopy on the photoreceptors of an anthomedusa and a scyphomedusa. Pub Seto Mar Biol Lab 20:757–778

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamasu T, Yoshida M (1976) Fine structure of complex ocelli of a cubomedusan, Tamoya bursaria Haeckel. Cell Tissue Res 170:325–339

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Peter Ekström, Megan O’Connor, and Linda Parkefelt, Lund University, for commenting on the manuscript. Dan Nilsson acknowledges the grant nr 621–2002-4873 from the Swedish Research Council, Anders Garm likewise acknowledges grant nr 21-04-0423 from the Danish Research Council and Melissa Coates acknowledges the NSF pre-doctoral fellowship program. All the experiments comply with the “Principles of animal care”, publication No. 86-23, revised 1985 of the National Institute of Health, and also with the current laws of Puerto Rico.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell and Organism Biology, Lund University, Zoology building, Helgonavägen 3, 22362, Lund, Sweden

    A. Garm, M. M. Coates, R. Gad & D. -E. Nilsson

  2. Department of Tropical Ecology, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia

    J. Seymour

Authors
  1. A. Garm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. M. Coates
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Gad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. Seymour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  5. D. -E. Nilsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Garm.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Garm, A., Coates, M.M., Gad, R. et al. The lens eyes of the box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora and Chiropsalmus sp. are slow and color-blind. J Comp Physiol A 193, 547–557 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-007-0211-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-007-0211-4

Keywords