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Compound Eyes and the World of Vision Research

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Facets of Vision

Abstract

The invitation to provide this introductory chapter suggested that I present my views on the past, present and future of compound eye research, including short side steps into related work on vertebrate eyes. The result is a contribution with two themes. The opening section provides an overview of the research on compound eyes that has been accomplished since the time of Sigmund Exner’s landmark book on arthropod optics and hints at the more detailed reviews that follow. Although it provides little more than a historical outline, for those new to the field it may help to anchor seminal events in time and to show the relationship to other currents in vision research. The subsequent sections illustrate on a limited front how work on arthropods relates both to vision in other animals as well as to much broader biological issues, while suggesting some questions for the future.

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  1. New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Timothy H. Goldsmith

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  1. Timothy H. Goldsmith
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  1. Department of Biophysics, Laboratorium voor Algemene Natuurkunde Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Westersingel 34, NL-9718, CM Groningen, The Netherlands

    Doekele Gerben Stavenga

  2. Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, Downing Street, GB-Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, England

    Roger Clayton Hardie

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© 1989 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Goldsmith, T.H. (1989). Compound Eyes and the World of Vision Research. In: Stavenga, D.G., Hardie, R.C. (eds) Facets of Vision. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74082-4_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74082-4_1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-74084-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-74082-4

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