Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Afocal apposition optics in butterfly eyes

Nature volume 312, pages 561–563 (1984)Cite this article

Abstract

In most apposition compound eyes there are two components to the optical system of the ommatidium1,2, the cornea and the crystalline cone. The focusing power of the cornea is well documented3,4 whereas the crystalline cone is usually regarded as a mere optical spacer5,6; consequently, the ommatidial optics will consist of a simple focusing lens. To the contrary, we now demonstrate the existence of a complete afocal telescope in each ommatidium of butterfly apposition eyes. The optical system is an extreme variant of that found in refracting superposition eyes, thereby providing a connection between butterflies and moths.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ribi, W. A. Cell Tissue Res. 191, 57–73 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Yagi, N. & Koyama, N. The Compound Eye of Lepidoptera (Shinkyo, Tokyo, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Varela, F. G. & Wiitanen, W. J. gen. Physiol. 55, 336–358 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. McIntyre, P. & Kirschfeld, K. J. comp. Physiol. 146, 493–500 (1982).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Snyder, A. W. in Photoreceptor Optics (eds Snyder, A. W. & Menzel, R.) 38–55 (Springer, Berlin, 1975).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Pask, C. & Barrell, K. F. Biol. Cybernet. 36, 1–8 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Nilsson, D.-E. Nature 302, 818–821 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Romeis, B. Mikroskopische Technik (Oldenbourg, Munich, 1968).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Jenkins, F. A. & White, H. E. Fundamentals of Optics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1976).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  10. Miller, W. H. & Bernard, G. D. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 24, 286–294 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Land, M. F. Prog. Biophys. molec. Biol. 24, 75–106 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Stavenga, D. G. in Handbook of Sensory Physiology, Vol 7/6A (ed. Autrum, H.) 357–439 (Springer, Berlin, 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Snyder, A. W. & Love, J. D. Optical Waveguide Theory (Chapman & Hall, London, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Kapany, N. S. & Burke, J. J. Optical Waveguides (Academic, New York, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Horowitz, B. R. in Vertebrate Photoreceptor Optics (eds Enoch, J. M. & Tobey, F. L. Jr) 219–300 (Springer, Berlin, 1981).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  16. McIntyre, P. & Caveney, S. J. comp. Physiol. (in the press).

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. D.-E. Nilsson

    Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Lund, Helgonavägen 3, S-223 62, Lund, Sweden

  2. M. F. Land

    Present address: School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QG, UK

  3. J. Howard

    Present address: Department of Physiology, University of Bristol Medical School, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, PO Box 475, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia

    D.-E. Nilsson, M. F. Land & J. Howard

Authors
  1. D.-E. Nilsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. F. Land
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. Howard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nilsson, DE., Land, M. & Howard, J. Afocal apposition optics in butterfly eyes. Nature 312, 561–563 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/312561a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/312561a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing