[Campbell Biology P.1166] In an insect's ommatidium, what is the primary function of the rhab... | Practice Question

In an insect's ommatidium, what is the primary function of the rhabdom?

  • A: To focus light onto the photoreceptors, similar to a lens.
  • B: To transmit visual information directly to the brain via axons.
  • C: To trap light and serve as the photosensitive part of the ommatidium.
  • D: To produce screening pigment that blocks light from certain angles.

Explanation

The rhabdom is described as the organelle formed by and extending inward from a circle of photoreceptors, which 'traps light, serving as the photosensitive part of the ommatidium.'