OMMATIDIUM Meaning and
Definition
-
An ommatidium refers to the basic structural unit of the compound eye found in many arthropods, particularly insects and crustaceans. Derived from the Greek words "omma" meaning eye and "eidolon" meaning form or image, ommatidia collectively form the multi-faceted visual system that enables these creatures to perceive their surroundings.
Each individual ommatidium consists of several essential components, including a lens, photoreceptor cells, pigment cells, and support cells, all enclosed within a protective outer layer. The lens functions to capture and focus incoming light onto the photoreceptor cells located at the base of the ommatidium. These photoreceptor cells are sensitive to different wavelengths of light, such as ultraviolet, visible, or polarized light, depending on the species.
The number of ommatidia within a compound eye can vary greatly across different arthropods, ranging from just a few to tens of thousands. This variation influences the visual acuity and the ability to detect motion or color differences. In general, a higher number of ommatidia corresponds to a higher resolution and greater visual sensitivity.
Ommatidia work collectively to gather visual information from different angles and produce a mosaic-like image, providing arthropods with a wide field of view. They also contribute to other visual functions like depth perception and motion detection. The significance of ommatidia in the visual system highlights their crucial role in the ecological adaptation and survival of arthropods in their respective environments.
Common Misspellings for OMMATIDIUM
- ommatidia
- immatidium
- kmmatidium
- lmmatidium
- pmmatidium
- 0mmatidium
- 9mmatidium
- onmatidium
- okmatidium
- ojmatidium
- omnatidium
- omkatidium
- omjatidium
- ommztidium
- ommstidium
- ommwtidium
- ommqtidium
- ommaridium
- ommafidium
- ommagidium
Etymology of OMMATIDIUM
The word "ommatidium" is derived from the Ancient Greek roots "omma" meaning "eye" and "eidḗs" meaning "shape" or "form". In Greek, "ommatidion" (ὀμματίδιον) is a diminutive form of "omma", which refers to a small eye or an eye-like structure. The term "ommatidium" was first coined in the field of entomology to describe the individual optical units that make up the compound eye of insects.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
