Abstract:  Spectral responses of the compound eye in the lacewing, Chrysopa sinica during dark adaptation were investigated by using the ERG’s methods. The results showed that monochromatic light stimuli across the spectrum ranging from 340 nm to 605 nm induced ERG’s reaction of different amplitudes. There were three peaks in their spectral sensitivity curves. The major one appeared at 562 nm, the second 524 nm and the third 460 nm. In a certain intensity range of monochromatic and white light stimuli, the stronger the luminance, the higher the ERG’s value of the lacewing. Length of the adapted-time could influence ERG’s value, which reached balance at 100 min of dark-adapted time. There were four parts in the typical ERG of compound eyes of the lacewing, i.e.,  a positive on-transient, potential of positive phase, a negative sustained potential and  a negative off-transient, respectively; the size and shape of each part could be affected by wavelength, light-intensity and duration of the light stimuli.

Key words: Chrysopa sinica, compound eye, spectral sensitivity, electroretinogram, dark adaptation