1985/04/12 by Karl Fent, Rüdiger Wehner · 2 citations
Neuroscience · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Plant and animal studies
paper · doi:10.1126/science.228.4696.192
openalex publication_date 1985/04/12 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
In addition to multifaceted lateral compound eyes, most insects possess three frontal eyes called ocelli. Each ocellus has a single lens, as does the vertebrate eye. The ocelli of some flying insects, locusts and dragonflies, have been shown to function as horizon detectors involved in the visual stabilization of course. In a walking insect, the desert ant Cataglyphis, it is now shown that the ocelli can read compass information from the blue sky. When the ant's compound eyes are occluded and both sun and landmarks are obscured, the ocelli, using the pattern of polarized light in the sky as a compass cue, help in guiding the ant back home.