Evolution of Insect Color Vision: From Spectral Sensitivity to Visual Ecology.

Casper J van der Kooi, Doekele G Stavenga, Kentaro Arikawa, Gregor Belušič, Almut Kelber

Annual review of entomology 2021 Jan 07

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Color vision is widespread among insects but varies among species, depending on the spectral sensitivities and interplay of the participating photoreceptors. The spectral sensitivity of a photoreceptor is principally determined by the absorption spectrum of the expressed visual pigment, but it can be modified by various optical and electrophysiological factors. For example, screening and filtering pigments, rhabdom waveguide properties, retinal structure, and neural processing all influence the perceived color signal. We review the diversity in compound eye structure, visual pigments, photoreceptor physiology, and visual ecology of insects. Based on an overview of the current information about the spectral sensitivities of insect photoreceptors, covering 221 species in 13 insect orders, we discuss the evolution of color vision and highlight present knowledge gaps and promising future research directions in the field.

Citation

Casper J van der Kooi, Doekele G Stavenga, Kentaro Arikawa, Gregor Belušič, Almut Kelber. Evolution of Insect Color Vision: From Spectral Sensitivity to Visual Ecology. Annual review of entomology. 2021 Jan 07;66:435-461