compound eye

adult compound eye

A light sensing organ composed of ommatidia.

Type Organ
Parent Structure multi-unit eye
Latin Name adult compound eye

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an ommatidium and how does a compound eye work?
An ommatidium is the individual optical unit of a compound eye, containing a corneal lens, crystalline cone, and photoreceptor cells (retinula cells with rhabdomeres). Each ommatidium detects light from a slightly different angle, and the brain integrates thousands of these inputs into a mosaic image.
Which animals have compound eyes?
Compound eyes are found predominantly in arthropods, including insects (flies, dragonflies, bees), crustaceans (crabs, shrimp), and some chelicerates. Dragonflies have among the largest compound eyes, with up to 30,000 ommatidia providing nearly 360-degree vision.
How does visual acuity in compound eyes compare to vertebrate eyes?
Compound eyes generally have lower spatial resolution than vertebrate camera-type eyes but excel at detecting rapid motion, which is critical for flying insects. Their large field of view and flicker fusion rate make them highly effective for motion detection despite lower image sharpness.

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Educational Disclaimer

This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for medical decisions.

Data sources: Terminologia Anatomica, Foundational Model of Anatomy, Wikidata.