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Form vision in the insect dorsal ocelli: An anatomical and optical analysis of the dragonfly median ocellus

Berry, Richard P. ; Stange, Gert and Warrant, Eric LU orcid (2007) In Vision Research 47(10). p.1394-1409
Abstract
Previous work has suggested that dragonfly ocelli are specifically adapted to resolve horizontally extended features of the world, such as the horizon. We investigate the optical and anatomical properties of the median ocellus of Hemicordulia tau and Aeshna mixta to determine the extent to which the findings support this conclusion. Dragonfly median ocelli are shown to possess a number of remarkable properties: astigmatism arising from the elliptical shape of the lens is cancelled by the bilobed shape of the inner lens surface, interference microscopy reveals complex gradients of refractive index within the lens, the morphology of the retina results in zones of high acuity, and the eye has an exceedingly high sensitivity for a diurnal... (More)
Previous work has suggested that dragonfly ocelli are specifically adapted to resolve horizontally extended features of the world, such as the horizon. We investigate the optical and anatomical properties of the median ocellus of Hemicordulia tau and Aeshna mixta to determine the extent to which the findings support this conclusion. Dragonfly median ocelli are shown to possess a number of remarkable properties: astigmatism arising from the elliptical shape of the lens is cancelled by the bilobed shape of the inner lens surface, interference microscopy reveals complex gradients of refractive index within the lens, the morphology of the retina results in zones of high acuity, and the eye has an exceedingly high sensitivity for a diurnal terrestrial invertebrate. It is concluded that dragonfly ocelli employ a number of simple, yet elegant, anatomical and optical strategies to ensure high sensitivity, fast transduction speed, wide fields of views and a modicum of spatial resolving power. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
ocelli, insect, optics, modelling, acuity
in
Vision Research
volume
47
issue
10
pages
1394 - 1409
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000246547400011
  • scopus:34047266381
  • pmid:17368709
ISSN
1878-5646
DOI
10.1016/j.visres.2007.01.019
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
55b83d7e-11c6-4c9c-a23f-968415882bae (old id 658010)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:09:26
date last changed
2022-03-05 19:44:02
@article{55b83d7e-11c6-4c9c-a23f-968415882bae,
  abstract     = {{Previous work has suggested that dragonfly ocelli are specifically adapted to resolve horizontally extended features of the world, such as the horizon. We investigate the optical and anatomical properties of the median ocellus of Hemicordulia tau and Aeshna mixta to determine the extent to which the findings support this conclusion. Dragonfly median ocelli are shown to possess a number of remarkable properties: astigmatism arising from the elliptical shape of the lens is cancelled by the bilobed shape of the inner lens surface, interference microscopy reveals complex gradients of refractive index within the lens, the morphology of the retina results in zones of high acuity, and the eye has an exceedingly high sensitivity for a diurnal terrestrial invertebrate. It is concluded that dragonfly ocelli employ a number of simple, yet elegant, anatomical and optical strategies to ensure high sensitivity, fast transduction speed, wide fields of views and a modicum of spatial resolving power. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Berry, Richard P. and Stange, Gert and Warrant, Eric}},
  issn         = {{1878-5646}},
  keywords     = {{ocelli; insect; optics; modelling; acuity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  pages        = {{1394--1409}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Vision Research}},
  title        = {{Form vision in the insect dorsal ocelli: An anatomical and optical analysis of the dragonfly median ocellus}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2007.01.019}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.visres.2007.01.019}},
  volume       = {{47}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}