Impact Draft

This study will serve to identify a key aspect of the crab spider’s vision and whether or not the intensity of light affects its ability to perceive color. We are investigating if the light intensity will change how the background color is reflected to the spider’s eyes and whether the ommochrome pigments will match the perceived color or the color of the plate in full, natural light. By knowing if the spider’s vision can adapt to dark environments, we will better know how the vision of the spider works and how it is able to function. Crab spiders are diurnal, so it would make sense that they perceive color at full light and then are able to change color to match. But, knowing that the ommochrome pigment is in the eye and what changes the spider’s pigmentation, it is also known that there has t be some relay behind what the spider sees and how it changes. It is not known if the spider sees in the same spectrum that people do, or if the amount of light that allows it to see will allow it to match the color as spot on that would allow perfect camouflage.