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The dark blue, teal, and gold tapetum lucidum from the eye of a cow Retina of a mongrel dog with strong tapetal reflex. The tapetum lucidum (Latin for 'bright tapestry, coverlet'; / t ə ˈ p iː t əm ˈ l uː s ɪ d əm / tə-PEE-təm LOO-sih-dəm; pl.: tapeta lucida) [1] is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrates and some other animals.
Animal multilayer reflectors work in the same way as a man-made dielectric mirror (or Bragg mirror) being composed of alternating layers of high and low refractive index, the thickness of each layer being 1/4 the wavelength most strongly reflected. [8] To reflect a wide range of wavelengths, the spacing must vary through the thickness of the ...
Diurnal animals, including humans (except for night owls), squirrels and songbirds, are active during the daytime. Crepuscular species, such as rabbits, skunks, tigers and hyenas, are often erroneously referred to as nocturnal. Cathemeral species, such as fossas and lions, are active both in the day and at night.
Diurnality, plant or animal behavior characterized by activity during the day and sleeping at night. Cathemeral, a classification of organisms with sporadic and random intervals of activity during the day or night. Matutinal, a classification of organisms that are only or primarily active in the pre-dawn hours or early night.
Many animals such as cats possess high-resolution night vision, allowing them to discriminate objects with high frequencies in low illumination settings. The tapetum lucidum is a reflective structure that is responsible for this superior night vision as it mirrors light back through the retina exposing the photoreceptor cells to an increased ...
Night monkeys have large brown eyes; the size improves their nocturnal vision increasing their ability to be active at night. They are sometimes said to lack a tapetum lucidum, the reflective layer behind the retina possessed by many nocturnal animals. [8] Other sources say they have a tapetum lucidum composed of collagen fibrils. [9]
The eyes are large, even larger than those of nightjars. As in many species of nocturnal birds, they reflect the light of flashlights. [14] Their eyes, which could be conspicuous to potential predators during the day, have unusual slits in the lids, [15] which allow potoos to sense movement even when their eyes are closed.
The distinction is not absolute, because crepuscular animals may also be active on a bright moonlit night or on a dull day. Some animals casually described as nocturnal are in fact crepuscular. [2] Special classes of crepuscular behaviour include matutinal, or "matinal", animals active only in the dawn, and vespertine, only in the dusk.