Thenictitating membrane (from Latinnictare, to blink) is a transparent ortranslucent thirdeyelid present in some animals that can be drawn across theeye from themedialcanthus to protect and moisten it while maintaining vision. MostAnura[1][a] (tailless amphibians), some reptiles, birds, andsharks, and some mammals (such ascats,beavers,polar bears,seals andaardvarks) have full nictitating membranes; in many othermammals, a small,vestigial portion of the nictitating membrane remains in the corner of the eye. It is often informally called athird eyelid orhaw; the scientific terms for it are theplica semilunaris,membrana nictitans, orpalpebra tertia.
The nictitating membrane is a transparent ortranslucent thirdeyelid present in some animals that can be drawn across theeye for protection and to moisten it while maintaining vision. The term comes from the Latin wordnictare, meaning "to blink". It is often called athird eyelid orhaw, and may be referred to in scientific terminology as theplica semilunaris,membrana nictitans, orpalpebra tertia. Unlike the upper and lowereyelids, the nictitating membrane moves horizontally across the eyeball.
In many species, any stimulus to the eyeball (such as a puff of air) will result in reflex nictitating membrane response. This reflex is widely used as the basis for experiments onclassical conditioning in rabbits.[3]
Fully developed nictitating membranes are found infish,amphibians,reptiles,birds and mammals, but are rare inprimates.[4][5] In humans, theplica semilunaris (also known as the semilunar fold) and its associated muscles arehomologous to the nictitating membranes seen in some other mammals and other vertebrates.[6] In most primate species, a plica semilunaris is generally not present, although fully developed nictitating membranes can be found inlemurs andlorisoid primates.[7][8] Some mammals, such ascamels,polar bears,seals andaardvarks, have full nictitating membranes, and many mammals retain a small,vestigial portion of the membrane in the corner of the eye. A gland of the third eyelid (nictitans gland) orHarder's gland is attached to the nictating membranes of some animals and may produce up to 50% of thetear film.[9]
The nictitating membrane is normally translucent. In some diving animals, includingsea lions, it is activated on land, to remove sand and other debris—its function in most animals. Incrocodiles, it protects their eyes from water but also hinders their focus under water. In some diving animals, for examplebeavers andmanatees, it is transparent and moves across the eye to protect it while under water.
Birds can actively control their nictitating membrane.[10] In birds of prey, the membrane also serves to protect the parents' eyes from their chicks while they are feeding them, and whenperegrine falcons go into their 200-mile-per-hour (320 km/h) dives, they will blink repeatedly with their nictitating membranes to clear debris and spread moisture across the eyes.Woodpeckers tighten their nictitating membrane a millisecond prior to their beak impacting the trunk of a tree to prevent shaking-induced retinal injury.[11]
The nictitating membrane can be used to protect the eye while attacking prey, as insharks.
It can also protect the eye fromultraviolet radiation, similar to its role in polar bears to preventsnow blindness.
Nictitating membranes in cats and dogs do not have many muscle fibers, so they are not usually visible; chronic visibility should be taken as a sign of poor condition or ill health. The membrane can, however, be seen clearly by gently opening the eye of the healthy animal when it is asleep, or by pushing down/applying pressure on the eyeball, which will cause it to appear. In some breeds of dogs, the nictitating membrane can be prone toprolapse of the gland of the third eyelid, resulting in a condition calledcherry eye.[9]
