Microsurgical Lesion of Horizontal Cells Changes Optomotor Yaw Responses in the Blowfly Calliphora erythrocephala

The horizontal cells of flies are giant output neurons of the optic lobes that respond selectively to horizontal motion in the visual environment. The effect of microsurgical lesion of the cells on visually induced flight behaviour was investigated in blowflies (Calliphora erythrocephala). The results indicate that the horizontal cells are the parts of the neural circuitry that control the generation of optomotor yaw torque.