Britannica AI Icon

pineal eye

biology
Also known as: median eye

Quick Summary

The term "pineal eye" refers to a photoreceptive structure found in some nonmammalian vertebrates. It is also known as the parietal eye and is essentially a pineal gland with the ability to detect light. In certain reptiles, this structure can be eyelike, complete with a lens and retina. While the pineal gland in humans primarily functions as an endocrine gland secreting melatonin to regulate circadian rhythms, in some lower vertebrates, it retains a more developed, light-sensing capability.1234

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

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.