We studied the ultrastructure and electrophysiology of the compound eye of the leaffooted bug Leptoglossus phyllopus. The cornea is relatively smooth and has no bristles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows that pigmented glia surround the crystalline cone, Semper cells, and receptors. Each ommatidium has 8 receptors with 6 peripheral and 2 central rhabdomeres arranged in an open rhabdomere configuration. Dark adapted sensitivity was highest in the ultraviolet (UV) and blue-green; yellow vs. violet adaptation altered spectral sensitivity slightly, suggesting multiple spectral receptor types.
This study was initiated in collaboration with Russel F. Mizell III. It was conducted in my laboratory with electron microscopist Guangjun Dong and electrophysiologist De-Mao Chen. Stanley D. Carlson helped with the scanning electron microscopy.

De-Mao Chen and I helped Wendy L Mechaber (then at Tufts, moved to Arizona) in her interest in cranberry weevil Anthonomus musculus. UV and blue peaks in the ERG spectral sensitivity, and chromatic adaptation (not shown) suggests several receptor types.

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this page was last revised 7/29/05