The Colours of Compound Eyes

The colours of a crab eye The colours of a crab eye At an oblique angle, we see the variously coloured screening pigments. At an oblique angle, we see the variously coloured screening pigments. Here we see the dark facets of ommatidia that look in our direction (pseudopupil) Here we see the dark facets of ommatidia that look in our direction (pseudopupil) At an oblique angle, we see the variously coloured screening pigments. At an oblique angle, we see the variously coloured screening pigments.

The Colours of Compound Eyes

The colours we see in compound eyes derive from the colour of screening pigments.

We see their image through the individual facet lenses.

Depending on the angle of view, we see screening pigments, or the dark facets of ommatidia that look in our direction.