Abstract
1. A group of adult female mantids was subjected to a reduction of their visual ability: the left eye of each animal was blinded with a film of especial black paint. Flies were presented to these animals with the method used in a previous paper, i.e. they were mounted on a magnet, moved in each trial on a cilindrical screen and entered the visual field of the mantid by the right side. The monocular group presented a very low level of striking in comparison with the normal group. Hits came only at very short distance from the prey and they were atypical. In many trials a very peculiar response was observed: the monocular cleaning reflex (MCR). Mantids gave up the usual visual following of the prey, moved their right foreleg forward the tibia and femur were passed between the mouth appendages, then brushing movements were performed with the foreleg on the right, i.e. the non-blinded eye, and finally the foreleg was passed again between the mouth appendages. 2. The MCR was also elicited when a fly was presented to mantids with a small screen fixed between both eyes. This screen impaired binocular vision. 3. A black circle of 0.2 mm in diameter moved very close to the central ommatidia of a monocular mantid induced a MCR. A black circle of 5 mm moved also very close to the central ommatidia provoked generally a defensive attitude. A black circle of 30 cm presented at 1 metre induced a defensive attitude but at a distance around 3 metres provoked a MCR. 4. Reasons why the MCR is elicited in monocular mantids are discussed. The foregoing facts are presented as evidence that distance estimation is accomplished in mantids by a binocular method.
Published Version
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