Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

A functional analysis of compound eye evolution.

Nilsson, Dan-E LU and Kelber, Almut LU (2007) In Arthropod Structure & Development 36(4). p.373-385
Abstract
New data on the phylogenetic relationships of various arthropod groups have spurred interesting attempts to reconstruct the evolution of arthropod

nervous and visual systems. Some of the relevant new data are cell identities and developmental processes in the nervous and sensory

systems, which is particularly useful for reconstructing the evolution of these systems. Here, we focus on the structure of compound eye ommatidia,

and make an evolutionary analysis with functional arguments. We investigate possible routes of evolution that can be understood in

terms of selection for improved visual function, and arrive at a number of conclusions that are discussed in the light of recent phylogenetic

... (More)
New data on the phylogenetic relationships of various arthropod groups have spurred interesting attempts to reconstruct the evolution of arthropod

nervous and visual systems. Some of the relevant new data are cell identities and developmental processes in the nervous and sensory

systems, which is particularly useful for reconstructing the evolution of these systems. Here, we focus on the structure of compound eye ommatidia,

and make an evolutionary analysis with functional arguments. We investigate possible routes of evolution that can be understood in

terms of selection for improved visual function, and arrive at a number of conclusions that are discussed in the light of recent phylogenetic

hypotheses. On the basis of ommatidial focusing structures and the arrangement of receptor cells we show that the evolution of compound

eyes proceeded largely independently along at least two lineages from very primitive ancestors. A common ancestor of insects and crustaceans

is likely to have had ommatidia with focusing crystalline cones, and colour and/or polarization vision. In contrast, the compound eyes in myriapods

and chelicerates are likely to date back to ancestors with corneal lenses and probably without the ability to discriminate colour and

polarization. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Compound eye, Evolution, Ommatidia
in
Arthropod Structure & Development
volume
36
issue
4
pages
373 - 385
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:18089116
  • wos:000252193300002
  • scopus:36649000946
ISSN
1467-8039
DOI
10.1016/j.asd.2007.07.003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9b4c3009-e4c9-4896-a63e-900bb0472c0c (old id 759210)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:47:18
date last changed
2024-02-27 00:01:24
@article{9b4c3009-e4c9-4896-a63e-900bb0472c0c,
  abstract     = {{New data on the phylogenetic relationships of various arthropod groups have spurred interesting attempts to reconstruct the evolution of arthropod<br/><br>
nervous and visual systems. Some of the relevant new data are cell identities and developmental processes in the nervous and sensory<br/><br>
systems, which is particularly useful for reconstructing the evolution of these systems. Here, we focus on the structure of compound eye ommatidia,<br/><br>
and make an evolutionary analysis with functional arguments. We investigate possible routes of evolution that can be understood in<br/><br>
terms of selection for improved visual function, and arrive at a number of conclusions that are discussed in the light of recent phylogenetic<br/><br>
hypotheses. On the basis of ommatidial focusing structures and the arrangement of receptor cells we show that the evolution of compound<br/><br>
eyes proceeded largely independently along at least two lineages from very primitive ancestors. A common ancestor of insects and crustaceans<br/><br>
is likely to have had ommatidia with focusing crystalline cones, and colour and/or polarization vision. In contrast, the compound eyes in myriapods<br/><br>
and chelicerates are likely to date back to ancestors with corneal lenses and probably without the ability to discriminate colour and<br/><br>
polarization.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Dan-E and Kelber, Almut}},
  issn         = {{1467-8039}},
  keywords     = {{Compound eye; Evolution; Ommatidia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{373--385}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Arthropod Structure & Development}},
  title        = {{A functional analysis of compound eye evolution.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asd.2007.07.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.asd.2007.07.003}},
  volume       = {{36}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}