Changes in volume of the rhabdom in the compound eye of Aedes aegypti L.

The volume of the rhabdom in compound eyes of mosquitoes decreases upon illumination. This decrease is probably mediated by a bleaching of the visual pigment, since blue light is most effective in producing the change and red light is least effective. The reduction in rhabdom volume appears to be a result of rhabdomal membrane loss to coated vesicles and multivesicular bodies. These organelles were seen most frequently in blue adapted eyes, markedly less frequently in red adapted eyes, and only rarely in dark adapted eyes.