Weiteres zum Lichtsinn augenloser Muscheln

The cycless musselsAnodonta cygnea andPseudanodonta complanata do not show any phototaxis. In the “Zweilichterversuch” (two-light-experiment) they react to the decrease of light intensity. If light is increasing, the mussels will not react; if put in the shade, they immediately do so. If the shadow is moved, the mussels even react when the intensity of light decreases much less, which demonstrates the importance of motion. From this it follows that the reception of motion may be considered as possible where there is light sensitiveness of the skin, and where the experiment connects motion with shading.