noun
- plural of retinula; groups of photoreceptor cells in the compound eyes of arthropods
Usage: biology; entomology
Examples
- The compound eye contains hundreds of retinulae, each functioning as a separate visual unit.
- Each of the retinulae in the insect’s eye responds to light from a specific direction.
- Researchers studied the structure of retinulae to understand how flies process visual information.
- The retinulae are arranged in a hexagonal pattern across the surface of the compound eye.
- Damage to individual retinulae can affect the arthropod’s ability to detect movement.