Summary
The ultrastructure of the compound eye of the Australian tipulid fly,Ptilogyna spectabilis, is described. The ommatidia are of the acone type. The rhabdom corresponds to the basic dipteran pattern with six outer rhabdomeres from retinular cells 1–6 (R1-6) that surround two tiered central rhabdomeres from R7 and 8. Distally, for about 8 μm, the rhabdom is closed. For the remainder, where the rhabdomere of R8 replaces that of R7, the rhabdom is open, and the rhabdomeres lie in a large central ommatidial extracellular space. In the proximal two thirds of the rhabdom, the central space is partitioned by processes from the retinular cells so that the individual rhabdomeres are contained in ‘pockets’.
At night the rhabdom abuts the cone cells, but during the day it migrates some 20 μm proximally and is connected to a narrow (1–2 μm) cone cell tract. This tract is surrounded by two primary pigment cells, which occupy a more lateral position at night and thus act like an iris. Pigment in secondary pigment cells also migrates so as to screen orthodromic light above the rhabdom during the day. Between midday and midnight, the rhabdom changes in length and cross-sectional area as a result of asynchrony of the shedding and synthetic phases of photoreceptor membrane turnover. The effects of these daily adaptive changes on photon capture ability are discussed with regard to the sensitivity of the eye.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barlow, R.B., Bolanowski, S.J., Brachman, M.L.: Efferent optic nerve fibres mediate circadian rhythms in theLimulus eye. Science197, 86–89 (1977)
Behrens, M.E.: Photomechanical changes in the ommatidia of theLimulus lateral eye during light and dark adaptation. J. Comp. Physiol.89, 45–57 (1974)
Blest, A.D.: The rapid synthesis and destruction of photoreceptor membrane by a dinopid spider: a daily cycle. Proc. R. Soc. London Ser. B:196, 463–483 (1978)
Blest, A.D.: Photoreceptor membrane turnover in arthropods: comparative studies of breakdown processes and their implications. In: The effects of constant light on visual processes (T.P. Williams, B.N. Baker, eds.), pp. 217–246. New York: Plenum 1980
Blest, A.D., Stowe, S., Price, G.D.: The sources of acid hydrolases for photoreceptor membrane degradation in a grapsid crab. Cell Tissue Res.205, 229–244 (1980)
Boschek, B.C.: On the fine structure of the peripheral retina and lamina ganglionaris of the fly,Musca domestica. Z. Zellforsch. Mikrosk. Anat.118, 369–409 (1971)
Brammer, J.D.: The ultrastructure of the compound eye of a mosquitoAedes aegypti L. J. Exp. Zool.175, 181–196 (1970)
Brammer, J.D., Stein, P.J., Anderson, R.A.: Effect of light and dark adaptation upon the rhabdom in the compound eye of the mosquito. J. Exp. Zool.206, 151–156 (1978)
Clark, D.P.: Night flights of the Australian plague locustChortoicetes terminifera Walk., in relation to storms. Aust. J. Zool.17, 329–352 (1969)
Davey, J.T.: The African migratory locust (Locusta migratoria migratorioides Rch. & Frm., Orth.) in the central Niger delta. II. The ecology ofLocusta in the semi-arid lands and seasonal movements of populations.Locusta 7, 1–180 (1959)
Dietrich, W.: Die Facettenaugen der Dipteren. Z. wiss. Zool.92, 465–539 (1909)
Dobrotworski, N.V.: The Tipulidae (Diptera) of Australia. III. The genusPtilogyna (Westwood). Aust. J. Zool. Suppl.1, 1–41 (1971)
Grenacher, H.: Untersuchungen über das Sehorgan der Arthropoden insbesondere der Spinnen, Insekten und Crustacean. Göttingen: Vandenhoek & Ruprecht. 1879
Hardie, R.C.: Electrophysiological analysis of fly retina. I. Comparative properties of R1-6 and R7 and 8. J. Comp. Physiol.129, 19–33 (1979)
Homann, H.: Beiträge zur Physiologie der Spinnenaugen. I. and II. Z. Vgl. Physiol.7, 201–268 (1928)
Ioannides, A.C., Horridge, G.A.: The organization of visual fieds in the hemipteran acone eye. Proc. R. Soc. London Ser. B:190, 373–391 (1975)
Kirschfeld, K., Franceschini, N.: Ein Mechanismus zur Steuerung des Lichtflusses in den Rhabdomeren des Komplexauges vonMusca. Kybernetik6, 13–22 (1969)
Leggett, L.M.W.: Some visual specialisations of a crustacean eye. Ph.D. Thesis, Australian National University, Canberra 1978
Meyer-Rochow, V.B., Horridge, G.A.: The eye ofAnoplognathus (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). Proc. R. Soc. London Ser. B:188, 1–30 (1975)
Meyer-Rochow, V.B., Waldvogel, H.: Visual behaviour and the structure of dark and light-adapted larval and adult eyes of the New Zealand glowwormArachnocampa luminosa (Mycetophilidae: Diptera). J. Insect Physiol.25, 601–613 (1979)
Nässel, D.R., Waterman, T.H.: Massive durnally modulated photoreceptor membrane turnover in crab light and dark adaptation. J. Comp. Physiol.131, 205–216 (1979)
Rossel, S.: Regional differences in performance in the eye of the praying mantis. J. Comp. Physiol.131, 95–112(1979)
Schneider, L., Langer, H.: Die Struktur des Rhabdoms im Doppelauge des WasserläufersGerris lacustris. Z. Zellforsch. Mikrosk. Anat.99, 538–559 (1969)
Shaw, S.R.: The extracellular space and blood-eye barrier in an insect retina: an ultrastructural study. Cell Tissue Res.118, 35–61 (1978)
Snyder, A.W.: The physics of vision in compound eyes. In: Handbook of sensory physiology, Vol. VII/6A. Vision in invertebrates, (H. Autrum, ed.), pp. 225–313. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1979
Sotavalta, O., Tuurala, O., Oura, A.: On the structure and photomechanical reactions of the compound eyes of crane-flies (Tipulidae; Limnobiidae). Ann. Acad. Sci. Fen. Ser. A:62, 1–14 (1962)
Stavenga, D.G.: Pseudopupils of compound eyes. In: Handbook of sensory physiology, Vol. VII/6A. Vision in invertebrates, (H. Autrum, ed.), pp. 357–439. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1979
Stowe, S.: Spectral sensitivity and retinal pigment movement in the crabLeptograpsus variegatus (Fabricius). J. Exp. Biol. (in press) 1980
Trujillo-Cenóz, O.: Some aspects of the structural organization of the intermediate retina of dipterans. J. Ultrastruct. Res.13, 1–33 (1965)
Trujillo-Cenóz, O., Melamed, J.: Electron microscope observations on the peripheral and intermediate retinae of dipterans.In: The functional organization of the compound eye, (C.G. Bernhard, ed.), pp. 339–361. London: Pergamon Press 1966
Walcott, B.: Cell movement on light adaptation in the retina ofLethocerus (Belostomatidae, Hemiptera). Z. Vgl. Physiol.74, 1–16 (1971a)
Walcott, B.: Unit studies on receptor movement in the retina of Lethocerus (Belostomatidae, Hemiptera). Z. Vgl. Physiol.74, 17–25 (1971b)
Walcott, B.: Anatomical changes during light adaptation in insect compound eyes. In: The compound eye and vision of insects, (G.A. Horridge, ed.), pp. 20–33. London: Oxford University 1975
White, R.H., Lord, E.: Diminution and enlargement of the mosquito rhabdom in light and darkness. J. Gen. Physiol.65, 583–598 (1975)
Williams, D.S.: Ca++-induced structural changes in photoreceptor microvilli of Diptera. Cell Tissue Res.206, 225–235 (1980)
Williams, D.S., Blest, A.D.: Extracellular shedding of photoreceptor membrane in the open rhabdom of a tipulid fly. Cell Tissue Res.205, 423–438 (1980)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Williams, D.S. Organisation of the compound eye of a tipulid fly during the day and night. Zoomorphologie 95, 85–104 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00997903
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00997903