A Dragonfly's Complex Eyes

A dragonfly’s large compound eyes are made up of many optical units called ommatidia. Large species can have around 30,000 in each eye. The arrangement provides a broad field of view, while specialized regions and neurons are especially responsive to small moving targets. This helps a dragonfly detect and intercept prey in flight. Its vision is not a uniform panoramic camera, however: acuity and sensitivity vary across the compound eye.