Question

Which of these insects is known to have 12,000 eyes?

• A. Cockroach
• B. Housefly
• C. Monarch Butterfly
• D. Centipede

Answer 1

The correct option is C

Monarch Butterfly

The correct option is C.

Explanation of correct option:

1. The insects come under the phylum Arthropoda and comprise the largest community of organisms.
2. They are characterized by three pairs of legs, and jointed appendages, and range from small sizes like mosquitoes to large ones like beetles.
3. Monarch butterflies also known as the king of butterflies possess 12000 eyes, which helps them to see in all directions.
4. These butterflies possess two kinds of eyes, that is, compound and simple.

Explanation of incorrect options:

Option A:

1. Cockroaches are insects, which come under the order Blattodea which also comprises termites.
2. Compounds eyes are found in a cockroach, they are found on the lateral sides of the head.
3. Each of the compound eyes is present in the form of a dark kidney-shaped structure formed of about 2000 hexagonal units known as the simple eyes or ommatidia.
4. Cockroaches possess three simple eyes called ocelli on their forehead and two sessile, large kidney-shaped compositions situated on the dorsolateral sides of the head capsule.

Option B:

1. The housefly or Musca domestica is a fly, which comes under the suborder Cyclorrhapha.
2. It possesses three simple eyes known as ocelli and a pair of short antennae.

Option D:

1. Centipedes are the long, flattened, predaceous arthropods, which possess many segments, it comes under the class Chilopoda.
2. They possess two groups of simple eyes, while some of the species of centipede lack eyesight, or exhibit weak eyesight.

Final answer: The monarch butterfly is known to possess 12000 eyes.