Novel Area Serving Binocular Vision in the Retinae of Procellariiform Seabirds

Abstract

Procellariiforms are pelagic seabirds which fly close to the sea surface and feed either by taking items from the surface or by shallow diving. The retinal ganglion cells in five species (Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus, Kerguelen petrel, Pterodroma brevirostris, great shearwater, Puffinus gravis, broad-billed prion, Pachyptila vittata, and common diving petrel, Pelecanoides urinatrix) were examined by Nissl staining and also by silver staining in the case of the common diving petrel. In all five species, a well-defined region in the dorsotemporal retina, close to the ora, was identified. This region is characterized by the presence of ganglion cells which are both regularly arrayed and larger than those found in the rest of the retina. These cells also have a large dendritic field of sparsely branched dendrites with much dendritic overlap between cells, thick axons, and dendrites confined to the proximal inner plexiform layer. Morphologically, they appear similar to the alpha cells of the retina in cats. It is suggested that the region containing these cells should be regarded as a retinal area, and the name area giganto cellularis is proposed. In the Manx shearwater, it is found that this novel area projects visually into the binocular field below the bill. Unlike previously described areas in avian retinae, it seems that this novel area is not concerned with high spatial resolution. It may function in the detection of objects on the sea surface and/or be concerned with the detection of the actual sea surface as a bird flies low over it.