关键词: 地下啮齿动物, 视觉系统, 适应进化机制

Abstract: Adaptive evolutionary mechanisms of sensory systems are the focus of the animal behavior research. Special interest has been given to a particular ecotype species，subterranean rodents，whose sensory systems show conspicuous features during the evolution process. Their sensory systems have mosaic morphological features of both progression and regression at different organization levels because of adapting to subterranean dark ecotype. The visual system is the most prominent example among their sensory systems. The ocular system is regressive，and brain structures involved in analysis and forming of image and visually guided behaviors are degenerated in size，and their visual projection is reduced，but the structures of the “non-image forming” visual pathway involved in photoperiodic perception are well developed. The adaptive structures，function，evolution and development of subterranean rodents are reviewed in this paper in order to further illustrate traits of visual system，and better assist the study of the adaptive evolutionary mechanisms of visual system in subterranean rodents.

Key words: Adaptive evolutionary mechanisms, Subterranean rodents, Visual system