title: The evolutionary diversity of insect retinal mosaics: common design principles and emerging molecular logic.
abstract: Independent evolution has resulted in a vast diversity of eyes. Despite the lack of a common Bauplan or ancestral structure, similar developmental strategies are used. For instance, different classes of photoreceptor cells (PRs) are distributed stochastically and/or localized in different regions of the retina. Here, we focus on recent progress made towards understanding the molecular principles behind patterning retinal mosaics of insects, one of the most diverse groups of animals adapted to life on land, in the air, under water, or on the water surface. Morphological, physiological, and behavioral studies from many species provide detailed descriptions of the vast variation in retinal design and function. By integrating this knowledge with recent progress in the characterization of insect Rhodopsins as well as insight from the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, we seek to identify the molecular logic behind the adaptation of retinal mosaics to the habitat and way of life of an animal.
authors.affiliation: New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, 129188 Saadiyat Island, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Mathias F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Wernet
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.affiliation: New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, 129188 Saadiyat Island, United Arab Emirates; Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA. Electronic address: cd38@nyu.edu.
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Desplan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D007313:Insecta / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009030:Mosaicism; D017956:Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate / Q000378:metabolism; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D012243:Rhodopsin
keywords: evolution; insect retina; ommatidia; patterning; regionalization; stochasticity