Thread subject: Diptera.info :: hairy/bare eyes in Diptera

Posted by Nikita Vikhrev on 22-10-2018 11:25
#1
Has anybody idea(s) what is advantage or disadvantage of hairy eyes?

Posted by Iain MacGowan on 22-10-2018 12:06
#2
Hi Nikita
In Lonchaeidae hairy eyes are most commonly found in species which fly early in the spring or are montane or boreal so I guess the advantage is in providing some thermal protection
Iain

Posted by John Carr on 22-10-2018 14:24
#3
Iain MacGowan wrote:
Hi Nikita
In Lonchaeidae hairy eyes are most commonly found in species which fly early in the spring or are montane or boreal so I guess the advantage is in providing some thermal protection
Iain


In Chironomidae, Drosophilidae, and Tachinidae I have not noticed a correlation between temperature and eye hair.

Posted by Nikita Vikhrev on 22-10-2018 18:30
#4
Iain and John, thank you for your reactions.
1. I delaied with reply reading pdf: "Insects have hairy eyes that reduce particle deposition, Amador_et_al, 2015" Alas, not very informative paper.
2. Looking at Muscidae family, thermal protection may has sense: hairy eyes are typical for such a cold-resistan genera as Thricops, Drymea, Phaonia. But there are contrexamples as well^ in Hydrotaea irritans group eyes are hairy only in southern H. penicillata.