I am looking for an insect, well actually two.
Both of these insects actually have 4 eyes. If this doesn't seem odd to you, well the majority of insects have two large compound eyes and usually three ocelli or simple eyes. Some orders like Diplura and Protura dont have eyes at all.
The insect I am looking for is a member of the order Coleoptera, it has four seperate eyes and they all function independantly. If you can give me its common or latin name and one adaptive advantage of this peculiar eye arrangement you will get the points......first one to give the best answer wins (no copy and paste).
However, as I mentioned at the beginning, there are two commonly known species with 4 eyes, The reason for the second species having 4 eyes is still not clearly understood, but if someone could provide both species, the points go to them......
good luck!
2006-11-09 09:40:20 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Actually, there's a lot more than two species.
The family Gyrinidae, commonly known as whirligig beetles includes about 700 species world wide, all of which have their compound eyes split into four functional elements.
The split eye system is quite useful for them as they live their lives scooting about on the water's surface like little motor-boats. The upper pair of eyes is able to scan above for aerial and surface predators, such as birds or fishing spiders, while the the lower pair of eyes watches for fishies and dragonfly larvae.
Since all this watching for predators doesn't leave them much to watch for prey with, they also use their antennae for sonar echolocation - detecting ripples in the water's surface. Then they zoom over to anything that falls in the water and gig into it until it's dead.
Another beetle with four eyes is Tetraopes tetraophthalmus, the red milkweed beetle. It is a Cerambycid (long-horned beetle) whose antennae have grown so large that they effectively cut their compound eye into two sections. Like many critters that feed on milkweed (like monarch butterflies), Tetraopes are toxic, and their bright red colour is a warning to predators not to eat them cuz yuck.
2006-11-09 11:02:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Coleoptera Milkweed Beetle
Monarchs Tetraopes
2006-11-09 10:02:10 · answer #2 · answered by Ginnykitty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I believe one of them is the whirligig beetle...as for the other, not entirely sure....but if I find it, I'll get back to you.
2006-11-09 09:51:40 · answer #3 · answered by Shaun 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
haysoos beat me to the punch, but I knew it. :)
Gyrinidae
2006-11-09 17:19:31 · answer #4 · answered by Strix 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋