Dioptrics of the facet lenses of male blowflies Calliphora and Chrysomyia

Abstract

1. The dioptrics of the facet lenses of two blowfly species, Calliphora erythrocephala and Chrysomyia megacephala, was investigated. Measurements were performed on facet lenses ranging in diameter from 20 to 80 microns. 2. The radius of curvature of the front surface of the facet lenses, measured by microreflectometry, increases approximately linearly with the facet lens diameter. 3. The optical path difference of the facet lens and water, measured by interference microscopy, depends on the distance from the optical axis according to a parabolic function. Average refractive index values, calculated from the optical path difference profile together with estimates of the thickness profile, are between 1.40 and 1.43, with the lowest values in the largest lenses. 4. The F-number calculated from the experimental data ranges from 1.5 to 2.2. It is argued that the range of effective F-numbers is 2.1-2.4.