Photopigment basis for dichromatic color vision in cows, goats, and sheep

Author:

Jacobs, Gerald H., Deegan II, Jess F., Neitz, Jay

Title:

Photopigment basis for dichromatic color vision in cows, goats, and sheep

Periodical:

Visual Neuroscience

Year:

1998

Volume:

15

Pages:

p.581-584

Subject:

Cattle Goats Sheep

Summary:

The purpose of this study was to determine the visual capabilities of three common ungulates - cattle (Bos taurus), goats (Capra hircus), and sheep (Ovis aries), as a previous study suggested that the large eyes of these animals could have a high rod/cone ratio that would insure sensitivity to low light levels while accommodating a large retinal image that would allow for a reasonable acuity even with a relatively sparse cone mosaic. Electroretinogram (ERG) flicker photometry was used to measure the spectral properties of cones in these ungulates. It was found that each of these species are similar to other ungulates that were studied earlier in that they have the requisite photopigment basis for dichromatic color vision.

Label:

Animals

Collection:

Periodicals