interommatidial

Interommatidial is an anatomical term used to describe structures or regions located between ommatidia, the repeating optical units of a compound eye found in arthropods, especially insects. Each ommatidium contains photoreceptor cells arranged around a central rhabdomere, and the interommatidial region lies at the borders between adjacent ommatidia.

The interommatidial space is typically bounded by interommatidial pigment cells and surrounding cuticle or extracellular matrix. In many insects, these pigment cells form a pigmented ring or lattice that helps seal the borders between facets and reduces stray light, improving image resolution by promoting optical isolation between neighboring ommatidia. The arrangement contributes to the characteristic mosaic pattern of the compound eye and supports the directional sampling of visual information.

In addition to pigment cells, the interommatidial region may contain supporting or glial-like cells that help maintain the integrity of the retina and the barrier against light scatter. The specific cellular composition and scale of the interommatidial area can vary among species, reflecting adaptations to different visual requirements and ecological niches.

The term interommatidial is widely used in entomology and comparative anatomy to describe anything situated between ommatidia, including cellular, pigmentary, or cuticular components. It provides a concise way to reference the boundaries that separate individual facets within the insect’s compound eye.