Table 1 Reported functional profile of the neuropils studied.
From: Sexual dimorphism and morphological integration in the orchid bee brain
Brain Region | Function | References |
|---|---|---|
Lamina | Primary processing of visual information from the compound eye- local motion computation, determination of the contour through light-dark contrast, processing of polarized light | |
Medulla | Primary process of visual information from the compound eye - spectral opponency as well as inhibitory and excitatory responses to specific wavelength, first full chromatic representation sent to high-order processing, processing of polarized light | |
Lobula | Primary process of visual information from the compound eye - phasic and tonic colour opponency, non-colour opponent cells computing brightness of the environment | |
Anterior optical tubercle + tract | Secondary unimodal processing of visual information- Targeted by the medulla and lobula, it is involved in chromatic and colour-opponent processing, as well as processing of polarized light for polarization-based compass | |
Ocellar synaptic plexi | Primary processing of visual information for them ocelli-, detection of changes in light intensity, flight stability | |
Antennal lobes | Primary processing of olfactory information- olfactory coding with recognition and discrimination of odours. | |
Lateral horn | Secondary unimodal processing of olfactory information- posterior processing of the olfactory coding through feedforward inhibition and segregation to encode preferences for innately meaningful odours. | |
Mushroom bodies: Calyx, pedunculus and lobes | Multimodal high-order processing centre composed by Kenyon cells, the centre’s intrinsic neurons - context generalization, behaviours of temperature preference, conspicuous orientation and sleep, associative learning, long and short-term associative memory. Calyx: Input region of the mushroom body, composed of the dendrites of the Kenyon cells Lobes: alpha and beta- main sensu-lato output sites and memory consolidation Pedunculus: Axon formed stalk-like structure connecting the calyx to the lobes | |
Central complex: protocerebral bridge, fan-shaped body, ellipsoid body and noduli | High-order processing – Centre of locomotor control for navigation, coding of celestial compass cues |
