Binocular Spatial Localization in the Praying Mantis

The way in which mantids localize the direction and the distance of their prey has been analysed, to clarify the importance of binocular interactions. The results suggest the following major points: 1. Binocular interactions coordinate monocular directional information, such that the direction in which a mantid fixates its prey is intermediate between the image directions in the two eyes (Figs 3, 4). 2. Binocular interactions elaborate the disparity between the monocular images, thus providing the mantid with a means of estimating the distance of its prey (Fig. 5; Tables 1, 2). The above findings, together with the known visual recognition tasks performed by the mantid, finally allow the formulation of a simple neuronal model of binocular vision.