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| 1 | 2 |  » Stats |
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| | Welcome to our newest member, Mildred M | |  | 
20-09-2007, 06:20 AM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 986
| | | Fly with advanced colour vision ? :)
Some shots of the soldier fly Sargus bipunctatus- these have just started appearing in my garden. Noticed in some of the shots the eyes seem to have an irregular array of coloured lenses- these were reproducibly positioned at different angles (ie not a trick of the light)
Any explanation ?
Brian V.
Pics linked with permission.   
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Brian V. |
20-09-2007, 06:33 AM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sheffield, FPRSY
Posts: 7,655
| | | Re: Fly with advanced colour vision ? :)
Yes, the eyes of mature insects are compound - lots of little lenses as you have observed. Most developed and complex in flies. Work on a totally different system from vertebrates. |
20-09-2007, 06:38 AM
|  | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Kent
Posts: 9,725
| | | Re: Fly with advanced colour vision ? :)
What amazing shots. The fly is tiny and to get that detail on the lenses is incredible.
I think that horse-flies have wonderful eyes.
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The female of the species is more deadly than the male.:p |
20-09-2007, 07:48 AM
|  | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 10,729
| | | Re: Fly with advanced colour vision ? :)
Yes most insects have compound eyes like the one's in the photo, they are made up of in some cases thousands of tiny lenses these are called facets. These enable the insect to detect the slightest movement, the colour change of these eyes is probrably down to them all being at different angles. Also its worth noting that most species have simple eyes called ocelli, usually in groups of three between the two compound eyes (the vertex), or on the front of the head in some species like in dragonfly. These are used for detecting light. |
20-09-2007, 07:55 AM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 986
| | | Re: Fly with advanced colour vision ? :)
Thanks for the info  - Knew about compound eyes but had never seen different coloured lenses in them before- these were reproducibly placed when taken at different angles- ie I'm certain they were not a trick of the light.
brian V.
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Brian V. |
20-09-2007, 08:00 AM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 10,729
| | | Re: Fly with advanced colour vision ? :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lord V  Thanks for the info - Knew about compound eyes but had never seen different coloured lenses in them before- these were reproducibly placed when taken at different angles- ie I'm certain they were not a trick of the light.
brian V. | Yep due to the facets all being slightly positioned at different angles it grants them greater sensitivity of movement | | |
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