Wavelength specific behaviour of the whiteflyTrialewodes vaporariorum (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)

Abstract

The visual behaviour of the whiteflyTrialeurodesvaporariorum was investigated using a ‘settling’ response paradigm (Fig. 1) and a phototactic paradigm (Fig. 2). 1. Intensity response functions of the ‘settling” response had different shapes at different wavelengths (Fig. 3). 2. Two forms of the ‘settling” response paradigm gave markedly different results (Table 1). This showed that the whiteflies exhibited wavelength specific behaviour. 3. Using the phototactic paradigm, intensity response functions at 400 nm and 550 nm had opposite signs above threshold. There were no colour interaction effects (Figs. 5, 6, 7) and therefore no evidence for colour vision at least for that particular behavioural paradigm. 4. The phototactic paradigm at 400 nm and 550 nm probably measured two different antagonistic behavioural patterns, the visual inputs of which did not interact.