Colour Vision

Engineering

Ecology

Biology

Compound eye

Retinal

Computer science

Botany

Wavelength

Visual pigments

Evolutionary biology

Physics

Optics

Spectral sensitivity

Electronic engineering

Insect

Artificial intelligence

Sensitivity (control systems)

Rhodopsin

Color vision

Biological system

Annual Review of Entomology

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.

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