Challenging limits: Ultrastructure and size‐related functional constraints of the compound eye of <i>Stigmella microtheriella</i> (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae)

Fischer, Stefan; Meyer-Rochow, Victor Benno; Müller, Carsten H. G.

doi:10.1002/jmor.20045

Cited by 21 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…There exist effective mechanisms to enhance the sensitivity of very small compound eyes by adapting the functional morphology of the rhabdomers, as has been described by Paulus (1979) and Fischer et al (2011Fischer et al ( , 2012. Irrespective of whether or not eight cells represent the plesiomorphic condition early in the Cambrian the probably smaller number of receptor cells seen in our material and in the generally more benthic rather than pelagic recent isopods and amphipods requires an explanation.…”

Section: Photic Environment and Sensitivitysupporting

confidence: 58%

Description and interpretation of the internal structure of a Cambrian crustacean compound eye

Schoenemann¹,

Clarkson²,

Castellani³

et al. 2014

Bull. Geosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The exceptionally good preservation of phosphatised, three dimensionally preserved "Orsten" arthropods permits insight into the internal morphology of ancient compound eyes. Analysis, presented here, of the stalked eyes of a Cambrian "Orsten" crustacean reveals structures such as a cornea, a crystalline cone, rhabdomers belonging to possibly five or six sensory cells and an absence of a gap (known as the clear-zone) between dioptric structures and the retina. All these features collectively suggest that this compound eye is of the apposition type. Thus, the principle of mosaic vision likely dates back to Cambrian times, more than half a billion years ago. Using well-established methods this eye can be characterised as dim-light adapted and is likely to have belonged to a benthic organism like many others known from fossils of the Cambrian Alum Shale of Sweden. This seems to be one of the oldest known apposition eyes, and the structural differences between it and eyes more closely conforming to the tetraconate system are likely to be related to the small size of the eye and the photic environment in which it had to operate. Differences from typical compound eye organisation, such as for instance a smaller number of retinula cells than the more typical eight found in most tetraconate arthropods, suggest that either the tetraconate system is not basal and universal, as is often assumed, or that modifications to the system enabling the eye to improve photon capture had already occurred during the Cambrian. •

show abstract

Section: Photic Environment and Sensitivitysupporting

confidence: 58%

Description and interpretation of the internal structure of a Cambrian crustacean compound eye

Schoenemann¹,

Clarkson²,

Castellani³

et al. 2014

Bull. Geosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…). Similar “atypical” superposition eyes have been mentioned by Ehnbohm () and Tuurala () for different groups of ditrysian moths and it has been also recently described in detail for the nepticulid Ectoedemia argyropeza (Honkanen and Meyer‐Rochow, ) and Stigmella microtheriella (Fischer et al, ) as well as several Gracillariidae (Fischer et al , 2013). See Fischer et al () for a detailed description of this type of eye now termed “intermediate.”…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Notable plesiomorphies and notable specializations: Head structure of the primitive “tongue moth” Acanthopteroctetes unifascia (lepidoptera: Acanthopteroctetidae)

Kristensen

Rota

Fischer

2013

Journal of Morphology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Acanthopteroctetidae are one of the first-originated family-group lineages within "tongue moths" (Lepidoptera-Glossata). The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive account (based on whole mount preparations, serial sections, and Scanning electron microscopy) of the cephalic structure of an adult exemplar of the family, to supplement the sparse available information. Notable plesiomorphies include the retention of frontal retractors of the narrow labrum, a high supraocular index linked to strong development of cranio-mandibular ad- and abductors, and perhaps the unusually short but still coilable (just ca. 1.5 turns) galeal "tongue." Notable specializations (probably mostly family autapomorphies) include a complement of large sensilla placodea on the male antennae, an apical attachment of the long dorsal tentorial arm to the cranium, an extreme reduction of the single-segmented labial palps, a particularly strong subgenal bridge and a surface structure of near-parallel ridges on the ommatidial corneae. The presence of sizable saccular mandibular (type 1) glands opening into the adductor apodeme is unexpected, no counterparts being known from neighboring taxa. The same is true for ventral salivarium dilator muscles originating on the prelabium; and tentatively suggested to be homologues of the extrinsic palp flexors (the insertion shift being related to loss of original function due to palp reduction), rather than to the ventral salivarium muscles of more basal insects. A complete "deutocerebral loop"' may or may not be developed, as is true for a mutual appression of the optic lobe and circumoesophageal connective/suboesophageal ganglion, enclosing the anterior tentorial arm between them; a suboesophageal innervation of the retrocerebral complex was not observed. No characters bearing on the monophyly of the Coelolepida were identified. The scapo-pedicellar articulation with a scapal process and a smooth intercalary sclerite is reminiscent of conditions in Neopseustidae, but remains debatable as a synapomorphy of the two families.

show abstract

“…Investigations that involved tiny moths revealed the same trend (Honkanen & Meyer‐Rochow, ) and, moreover, showed that the species with reduced or abandoned clear‐zones had changed from the moth‐typical nocturnal lifestyle to the more diurnal one of a butterfly (Fischer et al ., , ). An additional approach to investigate body size‐related modifications to the clear‐zone of superposition eyes was used by Lau & Meyer‐Rochow (), who studied the microanatomy of the eyes of male and female Rhagophthalmus ohbai fireflies.…”

Section: Compound Eye Research Suggestionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The more neutral term “intermediate eye type” was introduced by Fischer et al . () to stress that superposition (referring to the optical mechanism) was not likely to be effective in the small eyes and that without proper ontogenetic data of the eyes in question it was furthermore impossible to conclude in every case as to whether a small intermediate type of eye had evolved out of the superposition eye type or did have an apposition origin.…”

Section: Compound Eye Research Suggestionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Obviously there is much less space in a small eye (Fig. ) and examples of rationalizations of the limited space available in the small eyes have been reported to affect the sizes and numbers of facets, the positions of the retinula cell nuclei, the numbers of secondary screening pigment cells and tracheolar layers, but usually not the number of cone and retinula cells per ommatidium (Fischer et al ., , , ). To what extent general rules set the size limitations and what the contributions of optical, physical, and chemical factors are in this regard, needs to be examined in more detail.…”

Section: Compound Eye Research Suggestionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Compound eyes of insects and crustaceans: Some examples that show there is still a lot of work left to be done

Meyer-Rochow

2014

Insect Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Similarities and differences between the 2 main kinds of compound eye (apposition and superposition) are briefly explained before several promising topics for research on compound eyes are being introduced. Research on the embryology and molecular control of the development of the insect clear-zone eye with superposition optics is one of the suggestions, because almost all of the developmental work on insect eyes in the past has focused on eyes with apposition optics. Age- and habitat-related ultrastructural studies of the retinal organization are another suggestion and the deer cad Lipoptena cervi, which has an aerial phase during which it is winged followed by a several months long parasitic phase during which it is wingless, is mentioned as a candidate species. Sexual dimorphism expressing itself in many species as a difference in eye structure and function provides another promising field for compound eye researchers and so is a focus on compound eye miniaturization in very small insects, especially those that are aquatic and belong to species, in which clear-zone eyes are diagnostic or are tiny insects that are not aquatic, but belong to taxa like the Diptera for instance, in which open rather than closed rhabdoms are the rule. Structures like interommatidial hairs and glands as well as corneal microridges are yet another field that could yield interesting results and in the past has received insufficient consideration. Finally, the dearth of information on distance vision and depth perception is mentioned and a plea is made to examine the photic environment inside the foam shelters of spittle bugs, chrysales of pupae and other structures shielding insects and crustaceans.

show abstract

Challenging limits: Ultrastructure and size‐related functional constraints of the compound eye of Stigmella microtheriella (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae)

Cited by 21 publications

References 33 publications

Description and interpretation of the internal structure of a Cambrian crustacean compound eye

Description and interpretation of the internal structure of a Cambrian crustacean compound eye

Notable plesiomorphies and notable specializations: Head structure of the primitive “tongue moth” Acanthopteroctetes unifascia (lepidoptera: Acanthopteroctetidae)

Compound eyes of insects and crustaceans: Some examples that show there is still a lot of work left to be done

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About