Background: The retinae of treeshrew have never been evaluated by scanning electron microscopic studies.
Materials and methods: This work described the visual cells in the photoreceptor layer of the retinae of treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) living on the high plateau of Yunnan, China, via scanning electron microscopy.
Results: Results indicated five morphologically different types of cones, two of which contain oil droplets in their inner segments. To our knowledge, no prior studies have reported oil droplets in the visual cells of higher mammals, only in lower vertebrate and primitive mammals. In addition, this study revealed one type of degenerative visual cell without outer segments.
Conclusions: The findings signal the needs for additional studies to understand the physiological functions and phylogenetic relationships of the diversity of visual cells in this group of mammal.
Keywords: Tupaia belangeri; cones; retina; rods; scanning electron microscopy; treeshrew.