Ascidian larvae of Ciona intestinalis change their photic behavior during the course of development. Newly hatched larvae show no response to a light stimulus at any intensity. At 4 hr after hatching, larvae were induced to start to swimming upon the cessation of illumination, and to stop swimming upon the onset of illumination. At a weaker light intensity (5.0×10−3 J/m2·s), the larvae showed similar responses to either a single stimulus or repeated stimuli of onset and cessation of light until 10 hr after hatching. At a stronger light intensity (3.2×10−1 J/m2·s), when the stimulus was repeated, they showed sensitization and habituation of the swimming response.
At 3 hr after hatching the larvae failed to show any response to an initial stimulus at any intensity of light, but after several repeated stimuli (sensitization) they showed a swimming response at light intensities above 4.0×10−2 J/m2·s. At 5 hr and with intensity above 1.0×10−2 J/m2·s, the larvae showed photoresponses to the first stimulus, but after several repetitions the larvae failed to stop swimming upon the onset of light (habituation). A repeated series of stimuli at stronger intensities of light caused greater habituation; this habituation was retained for about 1 min. Since the larval central nervous system in Ciona is comprised of only about 100 neurons, learning behavior in ascidian larvae should provide insights for a minimal mechanism of memory in vertebrates.
