Phototaxis Index
Proportion of flies moving toward the light source minus those moving away, normalized to total tested per run
ConductVision · Behavioral Analysis
Drosophila Phototaxis
Quantify light-seeking behavior and visual system function in Drosophila.
DrosophilaSensoryAuto Export
ConductVision / Drosophila Phototaxis
Recording / Trial 3fly tracked
Photo. Index0.85
Latency3.2s
Light Time88%
Key Parameters
Metrics automatically extracted by ConductVision.
Response Latency
Time from light stimulus onset to first directed movement toward the illuminated arm, in seconds
Light-Zone Time
Cumulative duration spent in the illuminated compartment across the test window, expressed as fraction of total time
Dark Avoidance
Active movement away from dark regions quantified as velocity vector alignment with the light gradient
Spectral Preference
Differential response to calibrated wavelength bands (blue 450nm, green 520nm, UV 365nm) in sequential choice tests
UV Response
Attraction or avoidance of ultraviolet illumination (365nm), testing Rh3/Rh4 photoreceptor function in R7 cells
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Countercurrent Score
Distribution of flies across 6 countercurrent tubes after repeated light choice rounds, yielding a 0–6 population index
Adaptation Index
Decrease in phototaxis index over repeated trials within a session, measuring visual adaptation and sensory habituation
Intensity Dose-Response
Phototaxis index plotted across log-scaled light intensities, revealing photoreceptor sensitivity and saturation thresholds
Circadian Modulation
Change in phototaxis index across zeitgeber time points, quantifying clock-controlled gating of visual behavior
What is Drosophila Phototaxis?
Phototaxis — the oriented movement toward or away from light — is an innate Drosophila behavior controlled by photoreceptor neurons and visual processing circuits. Positive phototaxis is disrupted in retinal degeneration mutants, circadian clock mutants, and by pharmacological manipulation of visual transduction pathways.
ConductVision tracks fly movement in countercurrent or T-tube phototaxis apparatus, computing phototaxis index, response latency, and spectral preference. The assay supports high-throughput screening of vision and circadian mutants and neuropharmacological studies.
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