Vision in Arthropods

• Most of the arthropods possess eyes, which can vary in
number, structure and complexity. The eyes of

arthropods may be in the form of photoreceptors,
simple eyes or compound eyes.
• When both are present, the two eye types are used in
concert because each has its own advantage.
• Ocelli can detect lower light levels,and have a faster
response time, while compound eyes are better at
detecting edges and are capable of forming images.
The word ocelli is derived from the Latin word ocellus which
means little eye. Ocelli are simple eyes which comprise of single
Lens for collecting and focusing light.
• Arachnids, and specifically jumping spiders,
possess the prime examples of simple eyes
among the arthropods.
• Arthropods possess two kinds of ocelli
a) Dorsal ocelli
b) Lateral ocelli
• Found on dorsal or front surface
• Bounded by compound eyes on lateral sides
• Not present in those which lack compound eyes
• Single corneal lens covers a number of sensory
structures,rhabdome
• Lens may be curved(bees) or flat(cockroach)
• Sensitive to wide range of wavelengths
• Quick response to changes in light intensity
• Cannot form an image and unable to recognize the
object
• Always present in lateral region of head
• Number varies from 1 to 6 on each side
• Structurally similar to dorsal ocelli
• Except they have a biconvex lens and a crystalline
cone beneath the cornea with less number of
rhabdomes
• Sensitive to light intensity
• Capable of detecting movement of nearby objects
• Made up of hundreds/thousands of
long, cylindrical photoreceptor units.
• Each unit called ommatidium
• image formed is a combination
Of inputsfrom number
• of ommatidia.
• Present in most adult insects
Each ommatidium consists of
a) :The outer surface of each ommatidium is
convex and is covered by the transparent cuticle. It
 forms the cornea and functions as a biconvex lens
external surface hexagonal or square called as
corneal facet
 shed at every moult
 New cornea secreted by corneagen cells
: surrounded by 4-6 elongated cone
cells called vitrellae
 Function as secondary lens and help to focus light
present in ommatidium
 The region of each ommatidium, from cornea till the
end of cone cells, is termed as dioptrical region
: translucent cylinder called
rhabdome
 Receive light and form image,functions as a single
photoreceptor unit
 surrounded by 7-8 light-sensitive photoreceptor cells,
retinular cells
 Each retinula cell rests upon a basement membrane and
extends into an axon.
 bundle of 7-8 axons connected to the neurons of optic
ganglion which is connected to the brain through optic
 nerve
Rhabdome and retinular cells collectively form the
receptor region of the eye.
: Each ommatidium is separated from its
 neighbouring ommatidia by certain pigment cells.
The primary pigment, iris, is present in the proximal
 region of the ommatidium surrounding the tapering
ends of the cone cells.
The secondary pigment, retinal pigment, surrounds the
 rhabdome and retinal cells in the distal region of the
ommatidium.
These pigments are movable
 In bright light,pigments extend and acts as
screen to prevent light rays to pass from one
ommatidium to other
 In dim light,retracts and allows light to pass
COMPOUND EYE SIMPLE EYE
• made up of clusters of • made up of only one single
ommatidia unit
• The polarisation of sunlight • Cannot be understood
could be understood • found among many types
• found in most of the of organisms including most
arthropods, annelids and of the higher vertebrates.of
molluscs. eye.
• types are not more • More diversified
diversified
Compound eyes form image with the help of inputs received from ommatidia .Each
ommatidium forms a separate image of a small part of the object. Thus, the image
formed consists of several pieces and is crude. This type of vision is called mosaic vision.
Compound eyes of arthropods can form two kinds of image depending on the intensity
of light .
a) Apposition image b) Superposition image
The position of retinulae below the vitrillae or cone cells is different in diurnal and
nocturnal insects . The manner in which the images of objects formed in both the types
of insects.
The compound eyes form apposition image in the bright light.
• In bright light, both proximal and distal pigments extend and act as a screen to
prevent light rays from passing from one ommatidium to another.
• The light rays remain restricted to the axial region of the crystalline cone and
rhabdomes.
• As a result, only those rays which fall perpendicularly on the cornea and pass
through rhabdome form the point of an image.
• The rays which fall obliquely on the cornea are absorbed by the pigment and
do not produce any visual effect.
• Thus, each ommatidium responds to a patch of light from the visual fifield and
overlaps little with the neighbouring ommatidia forming a point of an image.
• The fifinal image is formed by combining all these points formed by the
stimulated ommatidia.
• This is, therefore, mosaic vision as it results from small pieces put together.
• Apposition eyes are the most common form of eye, and are presumably the
ancestral form of compound eye. They are found in allarthropod groups.
• The superposition image is formed in the dim light.
• In weak light, both proximal and distal pigments retract.
• The ommatidia do not remain optically isolated and the
light rays can pass from one ommatidium to another.
• As a result, the oblique rays as well those which fall
perpendicularly on the cornea and pass through rhabdome
• form the point of an image.
Thus, each ommatidium responds to the light rays which
• had entered through different corneal facets.
The fifinal image is continuous formed by overlapping of
the adjacent points of images.

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What are the two types of ocelli found in arthropods?

How do compound eyes form images?

• Most of the arthropods possess eyes, which can vary in

number, structure and complexity. The eyes of

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