GOLDFISH SPECTRAL SENSITIVITY - IDENTIFICATION OF THE 3 CONE MECHANISMS IN HEART-RATE CONDITIONED FISH USING COLORED ADAPTING BACKGROUNDS

Increment threshold curves were measured for curarized goldfish using a conditioned heartrate procedure. Chromatic backgrounds were utilized to enhance the sensitivity of one goldfish cone mechanism relative to the other two. Sensitivity peaks were at 455, 530 and 630 nm against yellow. red-blue and blue-green backgrounds, respectively. The short- and mid-wave peaks agreed well with the appropriate goldfish cone difference spectrum, but the long-wave peak was narrower on the left shoulder and wider on the right shoulder than the corresponding cone difference spectrum. Against the bluegreen background, a prominent short-wave peak attributed to beta band absorption by the red-sensitive cones was observed. The magnitude of aberrant high sensitivity noted for 400 and 420 stimuli was dependent on the amount of short-wave energy in the background; highest aberrance was noted for yellow backgrounds, and lowest for blue or red-blue backgrounds. © 1979.