Buschbeck E K, Ehmer B, Hoy R R
Neurobiology and Behavior, Mudd Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2003 Aug;189(8):617-30. doi: 10.1007/s00359-003-0443-x. Epub 2003 Jul 19.
Adult males of the insect order Strepsiptera are characterized by an unusual visual system that may use design principles from compound as well as simple eyes. The lenses of this eye are unusually large and focus images onto extended retinae. The light-gathering ability of the lens is sufficient to resolve multiple points of an image in each optical unit. We regard each unit as an independent image-forming eye that contributes an inverted partial image. Each partial image is re-inverted by optic chiasmata between the retinae and the lamina, where the complete image could be assembled from the neighboring units. The lamina, medulla and lobula are present, but their organization into cartridges is not clearly discernable. Fluorescent fills, whole-tissue stains, and synaptotagmin immunohistochemistry show that the optic neuropils nevertheless are densely packed, and that several parallel channels within the medulla underlie each of the lenses. The size and shape of the rhabdoms, as well as a relatively slow flicker-fusion frequency could suggest that these eyes evolved through a nocturnal life stage.
捻翅目昆虫的成年雄性具有独特的视觉系统，该系统可能运用了复眼和单眼的设计原理。这种眼睛的晶状体异常大，能将图像聚焦到延伸的视网膜上。晶状体的聚光能力足以分辨每个光学单元中图像的多个点。我们将每个单元视为一个独立的成像眼，它贡献一个倒置的局部图像。每个局部图像在视网膜和神经节层之间通过视交叉再次倒置，在那里完整的图像可以由相邻单元组装而成。神经节层、髓质和小叶都存在，但其组织成神经纤维束的情况并不清晰可辨。荧光填充、全组织染色和突触结合蛋白免疫组织化学显示，视神经节仍然密集排列，并且髓质内的几个平行通道位于每个晶状体下方。视杆的大小和形状，以及相对较低的闪烁融合频率可能表明这些眼睛是在夜行生活阶段进化而来的。
