Unique morphology of the human eye and its adaptive meaning: comparative studies on external morphology of the primate eye
Unique morphology of the human eye and its adaptive meaning: comparative studies on external morphology of the primate eye
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DOI：
10.1006/jhev.2001.0468
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发表时间：
2001-05-01
影响因子：
3.2
通讯作者：
Kohshima, S
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Kobayashi, H;Kohshima, S
为了阐明人类眼睛的形态独特性，并获得理解其适应意义的线索，我们通过测量近一半现存的灵长类物种来比较灵长类眼睛的外部形态。结果清楚地显示了人眼的特殊特征：(1)暴露的白色巩膜没有任何色素沉着；(2)人类在前夜轮廓中暴露的巩膜比例最大；(3)眼睛轮廓在水平方向上异常拉长。反映(2)和(3)的参数与所研究物种的栖息地类型或体型密切相关，表明这些MO特征是通过眼球运动来扩大视野的适应性，特别是在水平方向上。对比眼睛的颜色和眼睛周围的面部颜色，可以看出。非人灵长类动物暴露的巩膜呈深色，是对其他个体和/或捕食者伪装凝视方向的适应，而人眼的白色巩膜是增强凝视信号的适应。人类眼睛形态在灵长类动物中的独特性说明了人类与其他灵长类动物在使用凝视信号进行交流的能力方面的显著差异。(C)2001年学术出版社。
In order to clarify the morphological uniqueness of the human eye and to obtain cues to understanding its adaptive significance, we compared the external morphology of the primate eye by measuring nearly half of all extant primate species. The results clearly showed exceptional features of the human eye: (1) the exposed white sclera is Void of any pigmentation, (2) humans possess the largest ratio of exposed sclera in the eve outline, and (3) the eye outline is extraordinarily elongated in the horizontal direction. The close correlation of the parameters reflecting (2) and (3) with habitat type or body size of the species examined suggested that these mo features are adaptations for extending the visual field by eyeball movement, especially in the horizontal direction. Comparison of eye coloration and facial coloration around the eye suggested that. the dark coloration of exposed sclera of nonhuman primates is an adaptation to camouflage the gaze direction against other individuals and/or predators, and that the white sclera of the human eye is an adaptation to enhance the gaze signal. The uniqueness of human eye morphology among primates illustrates the remarkable difference between human and other primates in the ability to communicate using gaze signals. (C) 2001 Academic Press.