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Related Concept Videos

Vision01:24

Vision

Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
Color Vision01:24

Color Vision

Color perception begins in the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. Two main theories explain how colors are seen: the trichromatic theory and the opponent-process theory. The trichromatic theory, proposed by Thomas Young in 1802 and extended by Hermann von Helmholtz in 1852, suggests that color vision is based on three types of cone receptors in the retina. These cones are sensitive to different but overlapping ranges of wavelengths corresponding to red, blue, and green.
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...
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The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle layer, the vascular tunic,...
Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives01:14

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The first thing a clinician sees is the skin, so the examination of the skin should be part of any thorough physical examination. Most skin disorders are relatively benign, but a few, including melanomas, can be fatal if untreated. A couple of the more noticeable disorders, albinism and vitiligo, affect the appearance of the skin and its accessory organs.
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Genetic Lingo

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Assays to Detect UV-reflecting Structures and Determine their Importance in Mate Preference using the Sailfin Molly Poecilia latipinna
06:41

Assays to Detect UV-reflecting Structures and Determine their Importance in Mate Preference using the Sailfin Molly Poecilia latipinna

Published on: September 14, 2016

Why aye-ayes see blue.

Amanda D Melin1, Gillian L Moritz, Robert A E Fosbury

  • 1Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA. amanda.d.melin@dartmouth.edu

American Journal of Primatology
|September 6, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The aye-aye retains functional short-wavelength-sensitive-1 (SWS1) opsin, enabling color vision. This may be a crepuscular adaptation, as twilight is rich in blue light, potentially aiding vision for nocturnal primates.

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Area of Science:

  • * Primate vision
  • * Evolutionary biology
  • * Nocturnal adaptations

Background:

  • * Nocturnal primates exhibit varied color vision capabilities.
  • * Some species are colorblind due to loss of the short-wavelength-sensitive-1 (SWS1) opsin gene.
  • * The aye-aye possesses an intact SWS1 gene with an unusual peak sensitivity (lambda(max)) at 406 nm.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate the functional significance of the intact SWS1 gene in aye-ayes.
  • * To explore the potential for cone-mediated color vision in nocturnal environments.
  • * To assess the role of SWS1 opsin in aye-aye crepuscular adaptations.

Main Methods:

  • * Review of existing literature on primate color vision and opsin gene functionality.
  • * Analysis of spectral properties of twilight and moonlight.
  • * Comparison of aye-aye visual capabilities with other terrestrial vertebrates.

Main Results:

  • * The aye-aye's SWS1 pigment has a lambda(max) shifted towards the ultraviolet spectrum.
  • * Twilight and moonlight possess sufficient intensity and short-wavelength enrichment to support cone vision.
  • * Potential visual targets for aye-ayes, like scent marks and certain plant arils, exhibit blue coloration.

Conclusions:

  • * The intact SWS1 opsin in aye-ayes is likely a crepuscular adaptation.
  • * Aye-ayes may possess functional color vision during twilight hours.
  • * This adaptation could enhance foraging or navigation in low-light conditions.