Motion-in-depth perception and prey capture in the praying mantis Sphodromantis lineola

Vivek Nityananda (1) , Coline Joubier (2) , Jerry Tan (1) , Ghaith Tarawneh (1) , Jenny Read (1)

1 Newcastle University [Newcastle]
2 UR - Université de Rennes

Perceiving motion-in-depth is essential to detecting approaching or receding objects, predators and prey. This can be achieved using several cues, including binocular stereoscopic cues such as changing disparity and interocular velocity differences, and monocular cues such as looming. Although these have been studied in detail in humans, only looming responses have been well characterized in insects and we know nothing about the role of stereoscopic cues and how they might interact with looming cues. We used our 3D insect cinema in a series of experiments to investigate the role of the stereoscopic cues mentioned above, as well as looming, in the perception of motion-in-depth during predatory strikes by the praying mantis Sphodromantis lineola Our results show that motion-in-depth does increase the probability of mantis strikes but only for the classic looming stimulus, an expanding luminance edge. Approach indicated by radial motion of a texture or expansion of a motion-defined edge, or by stereoscopic cues, all failed to elicit increased striking. We conclude that mantises use stereopsis to detect depth but not motion-in-depth, which is detected via looming.

Mots clés: Changing disparity; Interocular velocity differences; Looming; Mantis; Predation; Stereopsis

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Vivek Nityananda, Coline Joubier, Jerry Tan, Ghaith Tarawneh, Jenny Read. Motion-in-depth perception and prey capture in the praying mantis Sphodromantis lineola. Journal of Experimental Biology, 2019, 222 (11), pp.jeb198614. ⟨10.1242/jeb.198614⟩. ⟨hal-02378900⟩