Organization of Visual Axes in the Compound Eye of the Fly Musca domestica L. and Behavioural Consequences

The previously derived optical demands for the neural superposition eye are experimentally tested in the compound eye of Musca domestica L. The optical requirements are fulfilled except in the marginal regions. Taking into account the gradient in spatial packing density of ommatidial axes in a horizontal direction the expected torque response of the fly is calculated and compared with earlier obtained results. The similarity of the curves suggests that existing gradients in the part of the neural network serving this orientation behaviour may be negligible with respect to the studied geometrical gradient.