What the Clock Tells the Eye: Lessons from an Ancient Arthropod

Circadian changes in visual sensitivity have been observed in a wide range of species, vertebrates, and invertebrates, but the processes impacted and the underlying mechanisms largely are unexplored. Among arthropods, effects of circadian signals on vision have been examined in most detail in the lateral compound eye (LE) of the American horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, a chelicerate arthropod. As a consequence of processes influenced by a central circadian clock, Limulus can see at night nearly as well as they do during the day. The effects of the clock on horseshoe crab LE retinas are diverse and include changes in structure, gene expression, and rhabdom biochemistry. An examination of the known effects of circadian rhythms on LEs shows that the effects have three important outcomes: an increase in visual sensitivity at night, a rapid decrease in visual sensitivity at dawn, and maintenance of eyes in a relatively low state of sensitivity during the day, even in the dark. All three outcomes may be critically important for species' survival. Specific effects of circadian rhythms on vision will certainly vary with species and according to life styles. Studies of the circadian regulation of Limulus vision have revealed that these effects can be extremely diverse and profound and suggest that circadian clocks can play a critical role in the ability of animals to adapt to the dramatic daily changes in ambient illumination.