ABS 2023
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Responses to ultraviolet light in several species of branchiopod crustaceans
Paige O. Huffman, Nicolas Lessios. Assumption University, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Branchiopod crustaceans are passive dispersers that often inhabit temporary pools of water and lay eggs which can withstand dry periods. Research so far has indicated these habitats tend to attenuate light rapidly with depth and that ultraviolet wavelengths are attenuated more quickly with depth than longer wavelengths. Despite ultraviolet light being attenuated rapidly in their environments, results so far indicate that branchiopods might have specific responses to ultraviolet wavelengths that differ from visible wavelengths. It remains to be seen if these responses are to avoid damage from harmful radiation, as in at least two species, branchiopods move towards light in the range of 365-394nm. In this study, we aim to describe the photobehavior of several species of branchiopod crustaceans in response to ultraviolet light. We used a 300 Watt Xenon arc lamp, neutral density and interference filters to control light stimuli intensity and wavelength. Crustaceans were tested in a uv-transmissive plastic chamber made from PetG. These findings suggest that these species could be using ultraviolet sensitive photoreceptors in their compound eyes for these behaviors.