Abstract
Color and motion information are thought to be channeled
through separate neural pathways, but it remains unclear
whether and how these pathways interact to improve motion
perception. In insects, such as Drosophila, it has long been
believed that motion information is fed exclusively by one
spectral class of photoreceptor, so-called R1 to R6 cells;
whereas R7 and R8 photoreceptors, which exist in multiple
spectral classes, subserve color vision. Here, we report that
R7 and R8 also contribute to the motion pathway. By using
electrophysiological, optical, and behavioral assays, we found
that R7/R8 information converge with and shape the motion
pathway output, explaining flies’ broadly
tuned optomotor behavior by its composite responses. Our
results demonstrate that inputs from photoreceptors of
different spectral sensitivities improve motion
discrimination, increasing robustness of perception.
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