Fig. 4: Retinal sensitivity to visual stimuli.

a Experimental setup for the electroretinogram (ERG) experiments. b ERG responses to a blue (410 nm), green (520 nm) or red (>590 nm) moving bar (mean ± sem; n = 7 mosquitoes). Responses to the moving object were significantly higher than the baseline for all tested dominant wavelengths (410 nm, 520 nm or 590 nm), although 410 nm and 520 nm bars elicited stronger responses (Kruskal–Wallis test, Amplitude responses~wavelength moving bar, df = 2, Chi-sq. = 40.03, P < 0.001, n = 7 mosquitoes). c ERG responses to pulses of light (350–750 nm). Traces are the mean responses (shaded area is the ±sem; n = 8 mosquitoes) to discrete wavelengths showing the elevated responses to 410 nm (violet to human observer) and 520 nm bands. d Retinal sensitivity curve across the tested wavelengths from 350 to 750 nm. Two maxima occurred at the short (420 nm) and medium (~530 nm) wavelengths, although responses were still significantly elevated above the noise at wavelengths more than 650 nm (two-sided t-test, ERG vs. noise: P < 0.01).