Humans have trichromatic vision, meaning we have three types of cone cells that detect red, green, and blue wavelengths of light. However, color perception varies significantly across species:
- Birds and some reptiles have tetrachromatic vision, allowing them to see ultraviolet light
- Most mammals are dichromats, having only two types of cone cells
- Dogs see primarily blues and yellows, with limited ability to distinguish reds and greens
- Butterflies have the most complex color vision, with up to 15 different photoreceptors
This variation in color perception exists because different species evolved to meet their specific survival needs in their environments.