Comparative Color Vision provides information about the means by which color vision has been studied in nonhuman animals and about the outcomes of these studies for a variety of representative species. Individuals who become interested in color vision in animals come from a variety of different educational backgrounds-from the traditional biological and behavioral sciences as well as from more applied fields.

Accordingly, this book includes sufficient tutorial information about color vision so that a relative newcomer would be able to make sense out of this area without having to search out still more background material. To provide this, basic information about the psychophysics of color vision and about the methods used to study color vision in animals is presented; along with coverage of the broad range of biological mechanisms responsible for color vision. Subsequent chapters present systematic reviews of studies of color vision in a wide selection of vertebrate species. The final chapter is devoted to a discussion of two fascinating issues raised by studies of animal color vision: the evolutionary origins and the functional utility of color vision.

Contenu

Preface
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Techniques and Goals of the Comparative Study of Color Vision
I. The "Brightness" Problem
II. Techniques for Measuring Color Vision
III. Appropriate Color Vision Indices
IV. Some Basic Data on Human Color Vision
V. Cross-Species Standards for Color Vision
Chapter 3 Mechanisms for Color Vision
I. Structural Overview of the Eye
II. Ocular Filters
III. Photoreceptors
IV. Photopigments
V. Neural Mechanisms
VI. The Central Pathways for Color Vision
Chapter 4 Comparative Survey of Color Vision: Nonmammalian Vertebrates
I. Amphibians: The Frog
II. Reptiles: The Turtle
III. Fish: The Goldfish
IV. Birds: The Pigeon
V. Colored Oil Droplets and Color Vision
Chapter 5 Comparative Survey of Color Vision: Mammals
I. Rodents
II. The Domestic Cat
III. Nonhuman Primates
IV. Comments on the Comparative Survey
V. Results from Studies of Other Mammals
Chapter 6 Evolution of Color Vision
I. The Utility of Color Vision
II. Context for the Evolution of Color Vision
III. Evolutionary Steps to Color Vision
References
Author Index
Subject Index