apposition eye
Quick Summary
An apposition eye is a type of compound eye found in diurnal insects. In this type of eye, each lens, along with its associated photoreceptors (forming an ommatidium), functions as an independent unit. Light from a small area of the visual field strikes a single facet and is concentrated onto the rhabdom of the retinula cells beneath it. This creates a mosaic image of the visual field, which is erect rather than inverted. Each ommatidium is typically shielded by pigmented cells to prevent light from spreading to neighboring units, ensuring a sharper image compared to superposition eyes, which are adapted for low-light conditions.12
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
