Fine structure and optical properties of an ostracode (Crustacea) nauplius eye

Summary

InNotodromas monachus, the three cups of the nauplius eye are formed by four pigment cells. The insides of the cups are lined with tapetal cells, which produce several layers of reflecting crystals. The reflecting crystals form a concave mirror in each cup upon which the retinular cells rest. The two-celled rhabdoms are few and perpendicular to the tapetal layer. The axons from the tripartite eye leave the retinular cells distally in three separate groups. The eye is thus of the inverse type. Large lens cells, with a low refractive index, are present in the open part of each cup. Distal to the lens cells, highly refractive lenses are formed in the cuticle. These lenses serve to decrease the effective curvature of the mirrors, thus enabling the reflectors to produce a focused image on the retina. The ventral cup differs by the lack of a cuticular lens and has degenerated-appearing cellular elements. The investigated nauplius eye is the only one known with both a mirror and a highly refractive lens in the dioptric apparatus.