Tapetum lucidum
The tapetum lucidum (Latin: "bright carpet") or tapetum is a reflecting layer behind the retina of the eye; it serves to reflect light back to the retina, increasing the quantity of light caught by the retina. This improves vision in low light conditions but can cause the perceived image to be blurry from the interference of the reflected light. It is found in many animals, particularly nocturnal animals with good night vision, such as cats. It is responsible for the feline equivalent of the red-eye effect, causing cats' eyes in flash photographs to appear to be glowing in one of a wide variety of colours including blue, green, and yellow.
Bottlenose Dolphins also have a tapetum lucidum. Humans do not.
Different species have different types. They include:
- Retinal tapetum in teleosts, crocodiles, marsupials and fruit bats
- Choroidal guanine tapetum in elasmobranchii
- Choroidal tapetum cellulosum in carnivores, rodents and cetacea
- Choroidal tapetum fibrosum in cows, sheep, goats and horses
External links
Comparative morphology of the tapetum lucidum (needs subscription)
| Sensory system - Visual system - Eye | Edit |
| Retina - Cornea - Iris - Pupil - Lens - Macula - Sclera - Optic fovea - Blind spot - Vitreous humour - Aqueous humour - Choroid - Ciliary body - Conjunctiva - Angle structure - Tapetum lucidum |