How females of the rotifer Asplanchna brightwelli swim in darkness and light: an automated tracking study

摘要: This work explores the effect of darkness on swimming behaviour females rotifer Asplanchna brightwelli. Females were filmed in flat dishes alternately white light (WL, 5000 μW cm−2) and infra-red (IR, 155 cm−2), each female for a total eight successive periods fifteen minutes per period. An automated tracking system was used to describe path female: twenty five x y coordinates center gravity animal second, discrete space 512 × pixels. Indices characterizing performances then calculated: linear speed, angular speed other parameters tracks. A Principal Component Analysis characteristics discriminated between WL tracks IR swam slower turned more than light. These results show that beside positive phototactic response, there is photokinesis which increases dispersion animals