The eye map: sharpness against speed in animal eyes

Visual acuity (how fine a detail an eye resolves) against flicker fusion frequency (how fast a flicker must be before it looks steady) for every species in the catalogue with both values measured: 60 species, people included.

Each mark is one species: further right sees finer detail, higher up sees faster flicker. Both axes are logarithmic.

Find an animal

What the map shows

60 species have both a measured visual acuity and a measured flicker fusion frequency (evidence A, AU or D); reconstructions are left out.
People sit at 63.75 cycles per degree and 60 Hz. 0 of the plotted species have sharper eyes, 25 have a higher flicker fusion frequency, and 0 beat people on both.
Spearman rank correlation between the two values over these 60 species: 0.22 (computed in code from the table below). Sharp eyes and fast eyes are separate abilities: being high on one does not predict the other well.

Method

Values are the catalogue values for each species: acuity in cycles per degree (behavioural or anatomical estimates, as recorded per source) and flicker fusion in hertz (bright-light values).
Only values measured in the species itself (A, AU) or derived from measured values (D) are plotted; estimates from relatives are not.
Both axes use a log scale because the values span more than one power of ten.
Methods differ between studies, so small gaps between neighbours are not meaningful.

The data

All 60 species with both values measured, A to Z
Animal	Group	Sharpness	Evidence	Flicker fusion	Evidence	Sources
American cockroach Periplaneta americana	Insects	0.21 cycles/degree	Measured	42.1 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Inger et al. 2014; Lafitte et al. 2022
American yellow perch Perca flavescens	Fish	3.5 cycles/degree	Measured	23 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2017; Lafitte et al. 2022
Anna's hummingbird Calypte anna	Birds	6 cycles/degree	Measured	75 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2024; Lafitte et al. 2022
Asian palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus	Insects	0.33 cycles/degree	Measured	100 Hz	Measured	Feller et al. 2021; Haarlem et al. 2026
Brown rat Rattus norvegicus	Mammals	1.5 cycles/degree	Measured	51 Hz	Measured	Kirk et al. 2004; Veilleux et al. 2014; Lafitte et al. 2022
Brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater	Birds	5.1 cycles/degree	Measured	114.7 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Lafitte et al. 2022
Brownbanded bamboo shark Chiloscyllium punctatum	Fish	1.8 cycles/degree	Measured	44 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2024; Lafitte et al. 2022
Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus	Birds	14.3 cycles/degree	Measured	74.7 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2024; Healy et al. 2013; Lafitte et al. 2022
Bull ant (Myrmecia gulosa) Myrmecia gulosa	Insects	0.29 cycles/degree	Measured	151.6 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Haarlem et al. 2026
Bull ant (Myrmecia tarsata) Myrmecia tarsata	Insects	1.02 cycles/degree	Measured	162.6 Hz	Measured	Feller et al. 2021; Haarlem et al. 2026
Caridean shrimp Heterocarpus ensifer	Crustaceans	0.31 cycles/degree	Measured	16 Hz	Measured	AndrewPMeade/FabricTools, sciphy/data_utils/datas… 2021; Haarlem et al. 2026
Cat Felis catus	Mammals	8.8 cycles/degree	Measured	75 Hz	Measured (not re-verified)	Caves et al. 2024; Kirk et al. 2004; Veilleux et al. 2014; Lafitte et al. 2022
Chicken Gallus gallus	Birds	7 cycles/degree	Measured	104 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Caves et al. 2024; Lafitte et al. 2022
Common brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula	Mammals	4.8 cycles/degree	Measured	22.4 Hz	Measured	Veilleux et al. 2014; Haarlem et al. 2026
Common eggfly Hypolimnas bolina	Insects	0.57 cycles/degree	Measured	182 Hz	Measured	Feller et al. 2021; Lafitte et al. 2022
Common evening brown Melanitis leda	Insects	0.35 cycles/degree	Measured	200.9 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Lafitte et al. 2022
Common treeshrew Tupaia glis	Mammals	4.7 cycles/degree	Measured	90 Hz	Measured	Veilleux et al. 2014; Healy et al. 2013
Copula sivickisi Copula sivickisi	Others	0.08 cycles/degree	Derived	2.5 Hz	Measured	Garm et al. 2016
Dog Canis familiaris	Mammals	8.3 cycles/degree	Measured (not re-verified)	77.5 Hz	Measured (not re-verified)	Heffner et al. 1992; Healy et al. 2013; Inger et al. 2014
Epaulette shark Hemiscyllium ocellatum	Fish	2.8 cycles/degree	Measured	40 Hz	Measured	Claes et al. 2014; Lafitte et al. 2022
Euphausiid shrimp (Euphausia gibboides) Euphausia gibboides	Crustaceans	0.19 cycles/degree	Measured	24 Hz	Measured (not re-verified)	Feller et al. 2021; Inger et al. 2014
Euphausiid shrimp (Stylocheiron maximum) Stylocheiron maximum	Crustaceans	0.42 cycles/degree	Measured	44 Hz	Measured	Feller et al. 2021; Lafitte et al. 2022
European starling Sturnus vulgaris	Birds	6.29 cycles/degree	Measured	100 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Healy et al. 2013; Inger et al. 2014
Fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) Drosophila melanogaster	Insects	0.125 cycles/degree	Measured	57 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Lafitte et al. 2022
Goldfish Carassius auratus	Fish	3 cycles/degree	Measured	53.6 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2017; Healy et al. 2013; Lafitte et al. 2022
Great horned owl Bubo virginianus	Birds	7.125 cycles/degree	Measured (not re-verified)	40 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Potier et al. 2020; Lafitte et al. 2022
Grey wolf Canis lupus	Mammals	14.57 cycles/degree	Measured	84 Hz	Measured	Veilleux et al. 2014; Haarlem et al. 2026
Guppy Poecilia reticulata	Fish	6.7 cycles/degree	Measured	67 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2017; Inger et al. 2014
Haplochromis sauvagei Haplochromis sauvagei	Fish	3.1 cycles/degree	Measured	18 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2017; Lafitte et al. 2022
Harris's hawk Parabuteo unicinctus	Birds	43.7 cycles/degree	Measured	77.7 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Lafitte et al. 2022
House mouse Mus musculus	Mammals	0.5 cycles/degree	Measured	41.3 Hz	Measured	Veilleux et al. 2014; Lafitte et al. 2022
House sparrow Passer domesticus	Birds	4.88 cycles/degree	Measured	55 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Lafitte et al. 2022
Housefly Musca domestica	Insects	0.2 cycles/degree	Measured	83.3 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Haarlem et al. 2026
Human Homo sapiens	People	63.75 cycles/degree	Measured	60 Hz	Measured	Kirk et al. 2004; Veilleux et al. 2014; Healy et al. 2013; Inger et al. 2014
Jack jumper / bull ant Myrmecia pyriformis	Insects	1.02 cycles/degree	Measured	73.3 Hz	Measured	AndrewPMeade/FabricTools, sciphy/data_utils/datas… 2021; Haarlem et al. 2026
Japanese rice fish Oryzias latipes	Fish	0.563 cycles/degree	Measured	37.2 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2017; Lafitte et al. 2022
Little owl Athene noctua	Birds	6.5 cycles/degree	Measured	50 Hz	Measured	Potier et al. 2020; Lafitte et al. 2022
Migratory locust Locusta migratoria	Insects	0.53 cycles/degree	Measured	65 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Inger et al. 2014
Northern tree shrew Tupaia belangeri	Mammals	2.1 cycles/degree	Measured	60 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2024; Kirk et al. 2004; Inger et al. 2014
Pederson cleaner shrimp Ancylomenes pedersoni	Crustaceans	0.1 cycles/degree	Measured	48 Hz	Measured	Feller et al. 2021; Haarlem et al. 2026
Phronima sedentaria Phronima sedentaria	Crustaceans	0.43 cycles/degree	Measured	27 Hz	Measured	AndrewPMeade/FabricTools, sciphy/data_utils/datas… 2021; Lafitte et al. 2022
Pig Sus scrofa	Mammals	9.92 cycles/degree	Measured	60 Hz	Measured	Veilleux et al. 2014; Haarlem et al. 2026
Port jackson shark Heterodontus portusjacksoni	Fish	3.125 cycles/degree	Measured	28 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2023; Lafitte et al. 2022
Purple-winged mantis Tenodera australasiae	Insects	0.32 cycles/degree	Measured	55.3 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Haarlem et al. 2026
Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus	Mammals	2.625 cycles/degree	Measured	30 Hz	Measured	Kirk et al. 2004; Veilleux et al. 2014; Haarlem et al. 2026
Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss	Fish	4.29 cycles/degree	Measured	27.1 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2017; Healy et al. 2013; Lafitte et al. 2022
Rhesus macaque Macaca mulatta	Mammals	51.75 cycles/degree	Measured	78 Hz	Measured	Kirk et al. 2004; Veilleux et al. 2014; Healy et al. 2013; Inger et al. 2014
Rock pigeon Columba livia	Birds	14 cycles/degree	Measured	88.5 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Caves et al. 2024; Healy et al. 2013; Lafitte et al. 2022
Sandbar shark Carcharhinus plumbeus	Fish	8.9 cycles/degree	Measured	54 Hz	Measured (not re-verified)	Claes et al. 2014; Horodysky et al. 2013
Scalloped hammerhead shark Sphyrna lewini	Fish	6.89 cycles/degree	Measured	27.3 Hz	Measured	Claes et al. 2014; Lafitte et al. 2022
Sheep Ovis aries	Mammals	5.61 cycles/degree	Measured	60 Hz	Measured (not re-verified)	Veilleux et al. 2014; Haarlem et al. 2026
Smallspotted catshark Scyliorhinus canicula	Fish	3.98 cycles/degree	Measured	3.2 Hz	Measured	Claes et al. 2014; Lafitte et al. 2022
Southern pig-tailed macaque Macaca nemestrina	Mammals	46 cycles/degree	Measured	69 Hz	Measured	Veilleux et al. 2014; Lafitte et al. 2022
Stick insect Carausius morosus	Insects	0.07 cycles/degree	Measured	40 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Haarlem et al. 2026
Tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier	Fish	6.25 cycles/degree	Measured	38 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2023; Haarlem et al. 2026
Tsetse fly (Glossina pallidipes) Glossina pallidipes	Insects	0.63 cycles/degree	Measured	282.5 Hz	Measured	AndrewPMeade/FabricTools, sciphy/data_utils/datas… 2021; Lafitte et al. 2022
Western honey bee Apis mellifera	Insects	0.25 cycles/degree	Measured (not re-verified)	220 Hz	Measured	Kelber et al. 2019; Inger et al. 2014; Lafitte et al. 2022
Xenos pecki Xenos pecki	Insects	0.1 cycles/degree	Measured	35 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2018; Lafitte et al. 2022
Yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares	Fish	16.4 cycles/degree	Measured	80 Hz	Measured	Caves et al. 2017; Lafitte et al. 2022
Zebrafish Danio rerio	Fish	0.59 cycles/degree	Measured	32 Hz	Measured (not re-verified)	Caves et al. 2024; Patterson et al. 2002

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