Compound Eye question

[cloud jaguar]

I know that mantids have two compound eyes and three single lens eyes between their antennae. Recently I noticed that both of the mantids I have, when they are eating or otherwise looking about, appear to have a pupil within the compound eyes .

My question is, do mantids have a pupil in each eye or is what i am seeing actually just a light highlight that happens to look like a pupil? Thanks

~Arkanis

 

[Headspace]

There's no such thing as a pupil when it comes to insects. Each "cel" in the compound eye is its own sensory organ called an ommatidium. I know what you're talking about with the "dot" and I have no idea what causes it, but if I had to guess I'd suggest it's some sort of artifact caused by reflection.

 

[sidewinder]

Arkanis,

The pupil-like dot on the compound eyes is called a pseudopupil. We see this pseudopupil because the light is not reflected back in our direction from that spot. In other words, that area of the eye is absorbing the light from the direction we are viewing the eye from. This is why the pseudopupil appears to follow us a we move our vantage point.

S-

 

[Rick]

Arkanis,The pupil-like dot on the compound eyes is called a pseudopupil. We see this pseudopupil because the light is not reflected back in our direction from that spot. In other words, that area of the eye is absorbing the light from the direction we are viewing the eye from. This is why the pseudopupil appears to follow us a we move our vantage point.

S-

Yep. THat is why no matter where you go it always appears that spot follows you.

 

[The_Asa]

Aw...I always kinda hoped that they actually looked at you, and followed you...

 

[cloud jaguar]

wow, thanks everyone - i am glad to know about the pseudopupil. I too thought that they were looking specifically at me - of course they are still looking at me and react to me or my hand or food i offer, just not ONLY at me like i had thought initially I guess that doesn't make them any less cool, perhaps only a bit less antrhopomorphic. It is easy for me to anthrpomorphize mantids because of their often upright prothorax, especiallly when they are eating or defensive or what not.

I can see how in nature having that kind of kaleidoscopic vision for 360' would definitely help in capturing prey.

In case anyone knows about marine crustacea, when i was in law school i spent hours observing my roommates pet mantis shrimp when I should have been studying. Anyways, i just recall distinctly that that shrimp had a pupil - like an hour glass shaped one - was this also my own projection and it was just a pseudopupil too?

~Arkanis

 

[sidewinder]

Arkanis,

Mantis Shrimp have extremely sophisticated compound eyes. Read here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis_shrimp#The_eyes

S-

 

[cloud jaguar]

Thanks for that article Sidewinder! Those are some cool creatures. I remember I saw Andrew Zimmern (that bald guy who eats exotic foods) gorging on a plate of deep fried mantis shrimp and felt sad for them - what a waste.

~Arkanis

 

[kamakiri]

The black dot is just the group of eyes looking at your eye(s).

If you have both eyes open, you will typically see two dots per compound eye. If you then close one eye, you will see the two dots per eye become only one per.