Orientation to Betaine Stimuli (5.2 Mb)
Experiments were conducted to determine if a relationship exists between the stimulus locus on the chemosensory oral veil to the angle of the animal's orienting turn. A feeding chemical stimulus in varying concentrations of betaine (diluted in jelatine with red food color) was applied to nine distinct points on the oral veil of 5 animals. While applying a stimulus, the animal's turn was video recorded, and after the data was gathered, the video recordings were analyzed. One representative recording is shown in this movie.
Angle of turn versus point of application for Betaine concentration (10-7 M) averaged over animals (N=5, P=95%). As show, a linear relationship exists between the animal's orienting turn and locus on the oral veil. Therefore, the equation alpha=bx+a can be used with the values alpha, b, x, a representing turn angle, slope of the line, point of application of the stimulus, and the rise of the y-intercept, respectively.
(N=5, P = 95% for figure error bars)