Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

6.3K
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,...
6.3K
Channel Rhodopsins01:11

Channel Rhodopsins

2.6K
Most organisms use photoreceptors to sense and respond to light. Examples of photoreceptors include bacteriorhodopsins and bacteriophytochromes in some bacteria, phytochromes in plants, and rhodopsins in the photoreceptor cells of the vertebral retina. The light-sensitive property of these receptors is because of the bound chromophores, such as bilin in the phytochromes and retinal in the rhodopsins.
Rhodopsins belong to the family of cell surface proteins called G-protein coupled receptors,...
2.6K
Color Vision01:24

Color Vision

656
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.
656
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

7.4K
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...
7.4K
Fixation and Sectioning01:03

Fixation and Sectioning

4.7K
Two basic types of preparation are used to visualize specimens with a light microscope: wet mounts and fixed specimens.
The simplest type of preparation is the wet mount, in which the specimen is placed in a drop of liquid on the slide. A liquid specimen can be directly deposited on the slide using a dropper. Solid specimens, such as skin scraping, can be placed on the slide before adding a drop of liquid to prepare the wet mount. Sometimes the liquid is simply water, but stains are often added...
4.7K
Other Algae01:19

Other Algae

80
The group Stramenopiles include some phototrophic microorganisms. Members of this group possess flagella covered in numerous short, hairlike extensions, a feature that inspired the group's name, derived from the Latin words for "straw" and "hair." Some of the main categories of Stramenopiles include diatoms, golden algae, and brown algae.Diatoms are unicellular, photosynthetic eukaryotes, with over 200 known genera. They play a key role in the planktonic communities of both marine and...
80

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Deep-sea fish reveal an alternative developmental trajectory for vertebrate vision.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Neural Repertoire Behind the World's Most Complex Retina: Neuroanatomy of the Stomatopod Lamina.

The Journal of comparative neurology·2025
Same author

Genome sequence of <i>Microbacterium</i> phage Casino.

Microbiology resource announcements·2025
Same author

Damsels in Disguise: Development of Ultraviolet Sensitivity and Colour Patterns in Damselfishes (Pomacentridae).

Molecular ecology·2025
Same author

Behavioural evidence of spectral opponent processing in the visual system of stomatopod crustaceans.

The Journal of experimental biology·2024
Same author

Deep-sea fish reveal alternative pathway for vertebrate visual development.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 29, 2025

A Method for Extracting Pigments from Squid Doryteuthis pealeii
11:03

A Method for Extracting Pigments from Squid Doryteuthis pealeii

Published on: November 9, 2016

9.5K

Colour vision in stomatopod crustaceans.

Thomas W Cronin1, Megan L Porter2, Michael J Bok3

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 20250, USA.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|September 4, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Mantis shrimps possess complex eyes with up to 12 photoreceptor types, enabling them to see ultraviolet (UV) and visible colours. Despite this, their colour discrimination precision is limited, leaving many aspects of their vision a mystery.

Keywords:
colour visionfilteringstomatopodultraviolet visionvisual ecologyvisual genetics

More Related Videos

Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs
04:28

Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs

Published on: March 31, 2023

2.0K
Proprioception and Tension Receptors in Crab Limbs: Student Laboratory Exercises
12:58

Proprioception and Tension Receptors in Crab Limbs: Student Laboratory Exercises

Published on: October 24, 2013

25.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 29, 2025

A Method for Extracting Pigments from Squid Doryteuthis pealeii
11:03

A Method for Extracting Pigments from Squid Doryteuthis pealeii

Published on: November 9, 2016

9.5K
Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs
04:28

Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs

Published on: March 31, 2023

2.0K
Proprioception and Tension Receptors in Crab Limbs: Student Laboratory Exercises
12:58

Proprioception and Tension Receptors in Crab Limbs: Student Laboratory Exercises

Published on: October 24, 2013

25.4K

Area of Science:

  • Marine biology
  • Animal vision
  • Crustacean physiology

Background:

  • Stomatopod crustaceans (mantis shrimps) are marine predators with uniquely structured compound eyes.
  • Their eyes feature a specialized midband region with ommatidia adapted for colour analysis.
  • Some species possess six-row midbands with dorsal rows containing photoreceptors divided into UV, short-wavelength, and long-wavelength tiers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the structure and function of stomatopod colour vision.
  • To examine receptor types, spectral tuning, neural analysis, and genetic basis of visual pigments.
  • To highlight the remaining mysteries in stomatopod vision despite extensive research.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on stomatopod visual systems.
  • Analysis of photoreceptor structure and spectral sensitivity.
  • Examination of colour discrimination capabilities and neural processing.

Main Results:

  • Stomatopod eyes have up to 12 photoreceptor channels with distinct spectral sensitivities.
  • They can discriminate colours across the human-visible and ultraviolet spectra.
  • Colour vision precision is limited compared to other animal systems.

Conclusions:

  • Stomatopod colour vision is highly specialized but not precisely resolved.
  • The full operational mechanisms and ecological relevance of their colour vision remain largely unknown.
  • Further research is needed to unravel the complexities of their visual system.