Switch to
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| lifeskim:mentions | |
| pubmed:issue |
4
|
| pubmed:dateCreated |
1998-4-30
|
| pubmed:abstractText |
In arena experiments with the walking fruit fly, we found a remarkable persistence of orientation toward a landmark that disappeared during the fly's approach. The directional stability achieved by 'after-fixation' allows a fly to continue pursuit under natural conditions, where a selected target is frequently concealed by surrounding structures. The persistence of after-fixation was investigated in Buridan's paradigm, where a fly walks persistently back and forth between two inaccessible landmarks. Upon disappearance of a selected target, the flies maintained their intended course for more than 15 body lengths of approximately 2.5 mm in about 50% of the trials. About 13% even exceeded 75 body lengths. About 88% of the approaches clustered in equal portions around peaks at 2.4 s and 8.6 s. About 12% of the approaches persisted even longer. In contrast, a single peak at about 2.2 s is sufficient to describe the persistence of orientation in a random walk. The ability to pursue an invisible landmark is disturbed neither by a transient angular deviation from the course toward this landmark, when this target disappeared, nor by a distracting second landmark. Accordingly, after-fixation seems to require an internal representation of the direction toward the concealed target, and idiothetical course control to maintain this direction.
|
| pubmed:language |
eng
|
| pubmed:journal | |
| pubmed:citationSubset |
IM
|
| pubmed:status |
MEDLINE
|
| pubmed:month |
Apr
|
| pubmed:issn |
0340-7594
|
| pubmed:author | |
| pubmed:issnType |
Print
|
| pubmed:volume |
182
|
| pubmed:owner |
NLM
|
| pubmed:authorsComplete |
Y
|
| pubmed:pagination |
411-23
|
| pubmed:dateRevised |
2009-6-4
|
| pubmed:meshHeading | |
| pubmed:year |
1998
|
| pubmed:articleTitle |
Persistence of orientation toward a temporarily invisible landmark in Drosophila melanogaster.
|
| pubmed:affiliation |
Max-Planck-Institut für biologische Kybernetik, Tübingen, Germany. roland.strauss@tuebingen.mpg.de
|
| pubmed:publicationType |
Journal Article
|