compound eyes
Fly's visual organs
Compound eyes are the large, multifaceted eyes found on insects, crustaceans, and some other arthropods.
Unlike human eyes with a single lens, compound eyes consist of thousands of tiny visual units called ommatidia, each capturing a small portion of the visual field.
This structure excels at detecting movement and provides nearly panoramic vision, though with lower resolution than vertebrate eyes: The fly's compound eyes spotted the swatter from almost any angle.
Plane on cut stone
- hexagonalSix-edged polygon's form
- lensLight-focusing curved glass
- photoreceptorCell responding to light
- corneaEye's clear outer dome
optic nerve · cuticle · ocelli
Six-legged invertebrate
- crustaceanAquatic arthropod with exoskeleton
- dragonflyLarge-eyed flying predator
- flyTwo-winged buzzing insect
- beeStinging nectar gatherer
mantis · crab · horseshoe crab · trilobite · butterfly · beetle · shrimp · lobster
Wave bending between media
- appositionAdjacent nouns, one explaining
- superpositionCoexisting in multiple states
- light detectionSensing presence of illumination
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
field of view · sensitivity · focal length · diffraction · interference · aperture
Composed of visible squares
- tessellatedCovered in fitted shapes
- facetedHaving multiple flat surfaces
- kaleidoscopicShowing constantly changing patterns
- fragmentedBroken into pieces
Identifying displacement automatically
- polarized lightWaves oscillating in one direction
- color perceptionAbility to distinguish hues
- peripheral visionSight at edges
- visual acuityClarity of eyesight
facet
Plane on cut stone
- hexagonalSix-edged polygon's form
- lensLight-focusing curved glass
- photoreceptorCell responding to light
cornea · optic nerve · cuticle · ocelli
insect
Six-legged invertebrate
- crustaceanAquatic arthropod with exoskeleton
- dragonflyLarge-eyed flying predator
- flyTwo-winged buzzing insect
bee · mantis · crab · horseshoe crab · trilobite · butterfly · beetle · shrimp · lobster · spider
refraction
Wave bending between media
- appositionAdjacent nouns, one explaining
- superpositionCoexisting in multiple states
- light detectionSensing presence of illumination
resolution · field of view · sensitivity · focal length · diffraction · interference · aperture
pixelated
Composed of visible squares
- tessellatedCovered in fitted shapes
- facetedHaving multiple flat surfaces
- kaleidoscopicShowing constantly changing patterns
motion detection
Identifying displacement automatically
- polarized lightWaves oscillating in one direction
- color perceptionAbility to distinguish hues
- peripheral visionSight at edges
visual acuity · depth perception · wide-angle · flight navigation
- insect sensorsantennae, ocelli, chemoreceptors, mechanoreceptors, photoreceptors
- trilobitestrilobites, glabella, thorax, exoskeleton, segments
- animal featuresbeaks, scales, antlers, fur, ears
- animal traitsfur, tail, claws, teeth, wings
- Insect Traitssix-legged, winged, antennae, exoskeleton, segmented
- insect biologyantennae, exoskeleton, mandibles, spiracles, metamorphosis
eyes, compound, eyeball, eyesight, eyelid, eyewitness, compounded, compounding, eyepiece