Abstract: A comparative study of the structure and characteristics of compound eyes is made with light- and electro-microscopes on two sister species in Chrysomelidae:Altica fragariae, which is a shade-habiting insect, inhabit in shade and concealed niches, and A. arnpelophaga, a light-habiting insect living in sunny and open places.Both species possess ovoid compound eyes with diameter of 0.3mm in the longdirection on the upside laterad of the head. Each ommatidium contains a double convex corneal cone, four semper cells and seven retinula cells, and is surrounded by two principal pigment cells and eleven or twelve secondary pigment cells. The rhabdomeres of six of the seven retinula cells join together and make a hexagonal rhabdom frame with another rhabdomere at the middle. Each rhabdomere is nearlyrectangular in shape and is filled with microvilli arranging nearly in parallel to each other. Aside from these similarities, there are some obvious differences between the two species. The ommatidium number in each compound eye is about one hundred fifty in A. fragariae, but two hundreds in A. ampelophaga. The radius of curvature of the compound eye is in the ratio of one (A. fragariae) to two (A. ampelophaga). The ratio of rhabdom occupation to whole retinular area on A. fragarive and A.Ampelophaga are about 37% and 25% respectively in the cross section of the middle parts of rhabdoms. The possible functional significance of the structure differences is discussed.

Key words: Altica fragariae, Altica ampelophaga, compound eye