"It was probably a docile little creature that fed on the pollen and nectar of tiny tropical flowers," Poinar said. "But it was really bizarre looking. One of the reviewers of the study called it a monster, and I have to admit it had a face only another fly could have loved. I was thinking of making some masks based on it for Halloween." http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonstateuniversity/4034439611/ http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/osu-ai102609.php
Ask him he discovered it!!! Contact: George Poinar, Oregon State University <email removed> Mod note: I'm 100% sure he doesn't want to be contacted by draqon.
They are just awesome Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! The ocelli are the three 'dots' on the top of the head: Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! "Though an ocellus is able to form an image, it does so below the level of the rhabdom and, therefore, the image has no physiological significance. The modern view of their function is that they serve to detect the horizon (hence, being out of focus ensures that extraneous details do not impede this function) and are thus important in maintaining stability during level flight. However, in some insects, other functions seem possible. For example, ocelli respond to the same wavelengths as compound eyes but are much more sensitive than compound eyes; i.e., they are stimulated by very low light intensities. They may measure light intensity, and the information derived from them may be used to modify an insect's response to stimuli received by the compound eye. Painting ocelli may cause temporary reversal or inhibition of light-directed behavior, or reduce the rapidity with which an insect responds to light stimuli. Such observations suggest that ocelli act as "stimulators" of the nervous system, so that an insect detects and responds more rapidly to light entering the compound eyes. In addition, in some species ocelli appear essential for the maintainance of diurnal locomotor rhythms." From: "Entomology", by Cedric Gillott