On the performance of the visual system in the nocturnal hunting spider Cupiennius salei

............................................................................................................................. 1 Zusammenfassung ............................................................................................................. 3 Synopsis .............................................................................................................................. 5 The orientation-dependent visual spatial cut-off frequency in a spider (published) ..................................................................................................... 17 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 18 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 19 Materials and Methods .................................................................................................. 22 Eye muscle potentials ............................................................................................... 22 Simulation of the intensity modulation ..................................................................... 25 Results ........................................................................................................................... 26 Eye muscle potentials ............................................................................................... 26 Simulation of the intensity modulation ..................................................................... 29 Discussion ..................................................................................................................... 31 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... 33 List of abbreviations ...................................................................................................... 33 References ..................................................................................................................... 34 Flicker-induced eye movements and the behavioural temporal cut-off frequency in a nocturnal spider (submitted) .................................................................................... 37 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 38 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 39 Materials and Methods .................................................................................................. 41 Results ........................................................................................................................... 44 Discussion ..................................................................................................................... 50 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... 52 References ..................................................................................................................... 52 Vision as a third sensory modality to elicit attack behavior in a nocturnal spider (published) .................................................................................... 55 Abstract ......................................................................................................................... 56 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 57 Materials and Methods .................................................................................................. 58 Results ........................................................................................................................... 60 Discussion ..................................................................................................................... 61 Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................... 63 References ..................................................................................................................... 63 Pupil size in spider eyes is linked to post-ecdysal lens growth (published) ................. 67 Abstract ......................................................................................................................... 68 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 69 Materials and Methods .................................................................................................. 69 Post-ecdysal pupil size and its subsequent increase in Cupiennius salei .................. 69 Variable pupil size in other spider families .............................................................. 71 The function of the pigment stop .............................................................................. 71 Results ........................................................................................................................... 72 Post-ecdysal pupil size and its subsequent increase in Cupiennius salei .................. 72 Variable pupil size in other spider families .............................................................. 74 The function of the pigment stop .............................................................................. 74 Discussion ..................................................................................................................... 75 Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................... 77 Author contributions ..................................................................................................... 77 References ..................................................................................................................... 77 Author Contributions ..................................................................................................... 79 Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................... 81 Curriculum Vitae ............................................................................................................ 83