Color vision varies significantly across species due to different types and numbers of photoreceptors. Humans are trichromats, meaning we have three types of cone cells that detect red, green, and blue wavelengths. In contrast:
- Dogs are dichromats, seeing primarily blues and yellows
- Birds have tetrachromatic vision, seeing UV light in addition to our visible spectrum
- Bees can see ultraviolet patterns in flowers invisible to humans
- Some mantis shrimp have 16 different photoreceptors
These differences evolved based on each species’ survival needs. For example, bees’ UV vision helps them identify nectar-rich flowers, while cats’ enhanced night vision aids hunting.