Sexual dimorphism in sensorimotor transformation of insect optic flow

Motion vision underpins a wide range of adaptive behaviours essential for individual and species survival. In hoverflies, some visual behaviours are sexually dimorphic, including for example male high-speed pursuit of conspecifics, matched by improved optics, and faster photoreceptors. Other visual behaviours are sexually monomorphic, with for example similar foraging flight speeds in male and female hoverflies. However, whether the descending neurons responsible for sensorimotor transformation of optic flow are sexually dimorphic is unknown. To address this, we combined morphological analysis with electrophysiology of optic flow sensitive descending neurons and compared neural responses to the behavioural output in tethered hoverflies. We found that while optomotor flight behaviour is largely sexually monomorphic, the underlying neural responses are sexually dimorphic, especially at higher optic flow velocities. Additionally, behavioural responses were noticeably slower than neura..., , # Dataset: Sexual Dimorphism in Sensorimotor Transformation of Insect Optic Flow This dataset supports the publication titled \"Sexual dimorphism in sensorimotor transformation of insect optic flow\". Dataset.zip contains experimental data, analysis scripts and processed outputs from electrophysiological, morphological and behavioural experiments. The data are organized into folders corresponding to experimental modalities and analysis stages, with naming conventions of processed outputs aligned to the figures in the manuscript. ## Folder Structure and Contents * **ElectrophysiologyData** – data from electrophysiology recordings. * **ElectrophysiologyAnalysisScripts** – MATLAB scripts for electrophysiology data analysis. * **MorphologyData** – confocal images and morphological measurements. * **MorphologyAnalysisScripts** – MATLAB scripts for morphology data analysis. * **BehaviourData** –wing beat amplitude data. * **BehaviourAnalysisScripts** – MATLAB scripts for behavioural data ana..., ,运动视觉（motion vision）是支撑个体与物种生存所必需的各类适应性行为的核心基础。在食蚜蝇（hoverflies）中，部分视觉行为呈现性二态性：例如雄性会高速追击同类个体，伴随更优异的光学结构与更快的光感受器响应；而另一些视觉行为则无性别差异，雌雄食蚜蝇的觅食飞行速度相近。然而，负责视运动流（optic flow）感觉运动转换的下行神经元（descending neurons）是否存在性二态性，目前仍不明确。为解答这一问题，本研究结合形态学分析与视运动流敏感下行神经元的电生理记录，并在拴系式食蚜蝇中对比了神经响应与行为输出。研究发现，尽管视运动飞行行为整体上基本无性别差异，其背后的神经响应却存在性二态性，尤其在更高的视运动流速度下。此外，行为响应明显慢于神经响应…… # 数据集：昆虫视运动流感觉运动转换中的性二态性 本数据集支撑题为《昆虫视运动流感觉运动转换中的性二态性》的发表论文。Dataset.zip 包含电生理、形态学与行为学实验的原始数据、分析脚本及处理后结果。数据按照实验范式与分析阶段划分为不同文件夹，处理后输出文件的命名规则与论文中的图表一一对应。 ## 文件夹结构与内容 * **ElectrophysiologyData**：电生理记录实验数据。 * **ElectrophysiologyAnalysisScripts**：用于电生理数据分析的MATLAB脚本。 * **MorphologyData**：共聚焦显微镜图像与形态学测量数据。 * **MorphologyAnalysisScripts**：用于形态学数据分析的MATLAB脚本。 * **BehaviourData**：翅膀拍打幅度数据。 * **BehaviourAnalysisScripts**：用于行为学数据分析的MATLAB脚本。