The Real Ones
Posted by Animal Lover on April 21, 2006
Q: Well,i got a question but it is not about this topic.I am a girl which is in veterinarius school but we did not find out why the polygastric animals has pupils in shape of paralelogram.I'd like to have your answer because I could not find it anywhere
A: I'm heading out on a weekend trip but will get back to you on Monday, if not before. Thanks for your patience.
John Wiessinger ( April 21, 2006)
A: I had to do some research to find an answer for you. I was able to find some info on sheep eyes that I trust can be applied to other polygastric mammals. Apparently, the pupil of a sheep in bright light is indeed horizontal in shape and a bit of a parallelogram or oval but in subdued light, as the pupil opens, its height increases but not its width and a round pupil is produced. Mammalogists conclude that this gives these mammals permanent wide-angle vision whether in dim or bright light and makes watching for predators more efficient. It's not just the ruminants that have this pupil shape - horses do too. Hope this answers your question. Best of luck in veterinary school.
John Wiessinger ( April 25, 2006)