What Colors Do Mice See?

Like most mammals, except primates and marsupials, mice have dichromatic color vision. This means that they only have two types of cones in their retinas, which are responsible for color vision. These two types of cones are sensitive to different ranges of wavelengths of light, and the brain uses the information from these cones to distinguish between different colors.

In humans, there are three types of cones: one type that is sensitive to short wavelengths of light (blue), one type that is sensitive to medium wavelengths of light (green), and one type that is sensitive to long wavelengths of light (red). This allows humans to see a wide range of colors, including all of the colors of the rainbow.

In mice, however, there are only two types of cones: one type that is sensitive to short wavelengths of light (blue) and one type that is sensitive to medium wavelengths of light (green). This means that mice cannot see the color red. Instead, red objects appear to be either green or black to mice.

Ultraviolet light vision

In addition to their dichromatic color vision, mice can also see ultraviolet (UV) light. This ability is due to the presence of a special protein in the retinas of mice called "rhodopsin". This protein is sensitive to UV light, and it allows mice to see objects that are invisible to humans.

Mice use their UV vision to find food, avoid predators, and communicate with other mice. For example, mice use UV light to locate seeds and insects, which are often reflected in the UV range. They also use UV light to detect urine markings left by other mice, which are also reflective in the UV range.

Conclusion

Mice have dichromatic color vision, which means that they can see only two colors: blue and green. They cannot see the color red. In addition to their dichromatic color vision, mice can also see UV light, which allows them to see objects that are invisible to humans.