Ultrastructure of the eye of a euphausiid crustacean

Abstract

The compound eye of the Antarctic euphausiid Euphausia superba is a spherical clear zone eye. The dioptric system consists of a hexagonally-faceted cornea, two corneagenous cells, two crystalline cone cells which form the bipartite crystalline cone, and two accessory cone cells. The dioptric system of each ommatidium is separated from that of adjacent ommatidia by six distal pigment cells and a basement membrane. The proximal tip of the crystalline cone is cupped by the distal ends of the seven retinula cells whose nuclei are arranged in a staggered array slightly distal to the middle of the clear zone. In the distal half of the clear zone, each narrow retinula cell column is surrounded by large proximal extensions of the six distal pigment cells. The pigment cells narrow more proximally and terminate at the proximal basement membrane. A specialized axial channel complex extends from the crystalline cone through the clear zone, and is continuous with a conical refractive element which caps the distal end of the rhabdom. The rhabdom is fused, and made up of alternating highly birefringent layers of orthogonally-oriented microvilli. It is surrounded by a narrow extra-cellular space which is continuous with the distal refractive element and a second conical refractive element at the proximal end of the rhabdom.