Cone monochromacy and visual pigment spectral tuning in wobbegong sharks.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Theiss SM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3497134 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Cone monochromacy and visual pigment spectral tuning in wobbegong sharks.
Theiss Susan M SM Davies Wayne I L WI Collin Shaun P SP Hunt David M DM Hart Nathan S NS
Biology letters 20120919 6
Much is known regarding the evolution of colour vision in nearly every vertebrate class, with the notable exception of the elasmobranchs. While multiple spectrally distinct cone types are found in some rays, sharks appear to possess only a single class of cone and, therefore, may be colour blind. In this study, the visual opsin genes of two wobbegong species, Orectolobus maculatus and Orectolobus ornatus, were isolated to verify the molecular basis of their monochromacy. In both species, only tw ...[more]
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