Talk:Infrared vision

Infrared vision in animals
Is it useful to include a section about the species of animals that have infrared vision? As far as I know these include the following:

Source: http://www.mapoflife.org/topics/topic_311_Infrared-detection-in-animals/

Quote: Infrared detection is probably best known from the snakes, where thermosensitive pits on the head have evolved at least twice Rattlesnake head- once in the pit vipers (Crotalinae) and probably once in the more ancient boas and pythons (which in some taxonomies are united in the family Boidae).

Quote: There is some evidence for an independently evolved capacity to detect infrared radiation in vampire bats (Desmodontinae) (...).

Quote: In terms of convergence, the insects provide a far more striking example than the vertebrates, because the capacity to detect infrared has evolved several times in this group. Analogous to snakes and vampire bats, the blood-sucking bed bugs (e.g. in the genera Cimex and Leptocimex) (...). Amongst the hymenopterans, a parasitoid braconid wasp possesses a peculiar type of antennal sensillum that is inferred to be a wave-guide for infrared perception and might play a role in finding a potential host.

I also read something (not from the above source) about kestrels (like the Falco tinnunculus) could see infrared light, but apparently such claims have been dismissed. They can see ultraviolet light, however!

Greetings, RagingR2 (talk) 13:28, 15 October 2015 (UTC)


 * I agree, it should have such a section. If nobody objects I will add a section when I have time, based on Infrared sensing in snakes which Ingenpedia already has and hope we get people expand it. I also support anyone else who wants to do it.


 * Another lead to follow up here: "Some forms of fish such as goldfish, salmon, piranha and cichlid can see infrared light. Salmon and some other freshwater fish have an enzyme that switches their visual systems to activate infrared seeing, which helps them to navigate and hunt in murky waters. In goldfish, eyesight is a highly developed sense, and it’s thought to be superior to humans. In fact, goldfish are the only members of the animal kingdom that can see both infrared and ultraviolet light."


 * And here, apparently humans can detect infrared as green flashes if two infrared photons hit the same receptor together. Robert Walker (talk) 21:37, 6 June 2018 (UTC)