Visual control of prey-capture flight in dragonflies

Interacting with a moving object poses a computational problem for an animal's nervous system. This problem has been elegantly solved by the dragonfly, a formidable visual predator on flying insects. The dragonfly computes an interception flight trajectory and steers to maintain it during its prey-pursuit flight. This review summarizes current knowledge about pursuit behavior and neurons thought to control interception in the dragonfly. When understood, this system has the potential for explaining how a small group of neurons can control complex interactions with moving objects.

► To catch prey the dragonfly computes an interception flight trajectory. ► Target-Selective Descending Neurons (TSDNs) control prey capture flights. ► Constant-angle strategies underlie interception of moving objects. ► Proportional navigation results in a constant-bearing interception strategy. ► This model illustrates control of complex behavior by a small number of neurons.