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Glite Dictionary
ommatidium

ommatidium

1 9.9
A small cone-shaped part of an insect's compound eye that detects light
  • noun
  • /ˌɑːməˈtɪdiəm/
  • Specialized
: ommatidio
  • An ommatidium is a basic unit of the compound eye.

Examples

  • Each ommatidium functions as a separate visual receptor, contributing to the insect's wide field of vision.

  • A dragonfly has thousands of ommatidia in each compound eye, allowing it to track fast-moving prey.

  • Damage to even a single ommatidium can affect the overall vision of a honeybee.

  • Each ommatidium contains a lens that focuses light.

  • A dragonfly has thousands of ommatidia in each compound eye, allowing it to track fast-moving prey.

  • Damage to even a single ommatidium can affect the overall vision of a honeybee.

  • Each ommatidium functions as a separate visual receptor, contributing to the insect's wide field of vision.

Surface Forms

ommatidium singular
ommatidia plural

Etymology

Ommatidium comes from the Greek root omma, meaning 'eye', and the small-part ending -idium, meaning 'small thing'. So an ommatidium is literally a 'small eye', which explains why it is one of the tiny units that together make an insect's compound eye.