Pages

Tuesday 25 December 2012

What An Amazing Fish! Macropinna Microstoma: A Deep-Sea Fish With A Transparent Head And Tubular Eyes.


Macropinna microstoma: A deep-sea fish with a transparent head and tubular eyes.

This weird fish with a transparent head is called a barrel eye (Macropinna microstoma). When you first look at this photo you may think the two small ovals above and behind its mouth are the eyes. 


Actually these are are are olfactory organs called nares, a fish's equivalent to human nostrils. Its barrel shaped eyes are hidden behind the two green sphere shaped lenses in the centre of its head. The eyes swivel, allowing the fish to look directly up or look forward where it can see its own mouth. 
What an amazing fish!

No comments:

Post a Comment