ocellus
/oʊˈsɛləs/
noun
- A simple eye or an eye-like marking (eyespot) found on certain animals, especially insects and some fish.
- Many insects have three ocelli on top of their heads that detect light intensity.
- The ocellus on the wing of a moth can startle a bird into thinking it is a larger animal.
- Scientists study the ocellus to understand how simple visual systems evolved.
Synonyms