What are compound and simple eyes?

A simple eye has one lens. This site explains and has pictures of compound eyes.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/111909

I searched Google under the key words "compound simple eyes" to get these possible sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compound_eye
http://library.thinkquest.org/28030/eyeevo.htm
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/tutorial/photo.html
http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-130201/compound-eye
http://books.google.com/books?id=m_o4AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA23&lpg=PA23&dq=compound+simple+eyes&source=web&ots=JYsuysyklf&sig=2MrIxJyYXHbL2lT-GkicI36-Ljs#PPA22,M1

In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search.

I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.

Compound eyes and simple eyes are two types of eyes found in different types of organisms.

1. Compound Eyes:
Compound eyes are typically found in insects and crustaceans. They are made up of numerous tiny individual units called ommatidia. Each ommatidium consists of a lens, a series of light-sensitive cells, and nerve fibers. These individual units work together to create a mosaic-like image.

To understand how compound eyes work, you can follow these steps:
- Each ommatidium captures a tiny portion of the overall image.
- These individual units transmit electrical signals to the brain.
- The brain then interprets all the signals collectively, forming the final image.
- Due to the large number of ommatidia, compound eyes provide a wide field of view, motion sensitivity, and the ability to detect rapid changes.

2. Simple Eyes:
Simple eyes, also known as ocelli, are found in various organisms like flatworms, certain insects, and some mollusks. Unlike compound eyes, simple eyes consist of a single lens without any individual units. They are less sophisticated in terms of image formation but still serve basic visual functions.

To identify simple eyes:
- Simple eyes are typically small and round, often located on the head or along the body.
- They contain a single lens that focuses light onto a small group of photoreceptor cells.
- The photoreceptor cells then transmit electrical signals to the sensory nerves, allowing the organism to detect light intensity and direction.

In summary, compound eyes are made up of many individual units and provide a wide field of view and motion sensitivity, while simple eyes consist of a single lens and serve basic visual functions.