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Photopigments of dogs and foxes and their implications for canid vision

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2009

Gerald H. Jacobs ,
Jess F. Deegan II ,
Michael A. Crognale  and
John A. Fenwick
Gerald H. Jacobs
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara
Jess F. Deegan II
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara
Michael A. Crognale
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara
John A. Fenwick
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara
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Abstract

Electroretinogram (ERG) flicker photometry was used to examine the photopigment complements of representatives of four genera of Canid: domestic dog (Canis familiaris), Island gray fox (Urocyon littoralis), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), and Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus). These four genera share a common cone pigment complement; each has one cone pigment with peak sensitivity of about 555 nm and a second cone pigment with peak at 430–435 nm. These pigment measurements accord well with the conclusions of an earlier investigation of color vision in the dog, and this fact allows some predictions about color vision in the wild canids. An additional set of measurements place the peak of the dog rod pigment at about 508 nm.

Keywords

Cone photopigmentsDogs (Canis familiaris)Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)Island gray foxes (Urocyon littoralis)Arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus)DichromacyElectroretinogram flicker photometry
Type
Research Articles
Information
Visual Neuroscience , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , January 1993 , pp. 173 - 180
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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