Quantifying visual acuity in Heliconius butterflies

Heliconius butterflies are well-known for their colourful wing patterns, which advertise distastefulness to potential predators and are used during mate choice. However, the relative importance of different aspects of these signals will depend on the visual abilities of Heliconius and their predators. Previous studies have investigated colour sensitivity and neural anatomy, but visual acuity (the ability to perceive detail) has not been studied in these butterflies. Here, we provide the first estimate of visual acuity in Heliconius: from a behavioural optomotor assay, we found that mean visual acuity = 0.49 cycles-per-degree (cpd), with higher acuity in males than females. We also examined eye morphology and report more ommatidia in male eyes. Finally, we estimated how visual acuity affects Heliconius visual perception compared to a potential avian predator. Whereas the bird predator maintained high resolving power, Heliconius lost the ability to resolve detail at greater distances, tho..., , , # Quantifying visual acuity in *Heliconius* butterflies

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2z34tmpsk](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2z34tmpsk)

**GENERAL INFORMATION**

1\. Title of Dataset: Quantifying visual acuity in *Heliconius* butterflies

2\. Author Information:

1. Daniel Shane Wright (Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany)
2. Anupama Nayak Manel (Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany)
3. Michelle Guachamin-Rosero (Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany;
Universidad Regional Amazónica IKIAM, Tena, Ecuador) 
4. Pamela Chamba-Vaca (Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany;
Universidad Regional Amazónica IKIAM, Tena, Ecuador) 
5. Caroline Nicole Bacquet (Universidad Regional Amazónica IKIAM, Tena, Ecuador) 
6. Richard M. Merrill (Division of Evolutionary Bi...