The barreleye (Macropinna microstoma) has only been observed with MBARI ROVs 5 times in 27 years!
Most of the time, the fish hangs motionless in the water, with its body in a horizontal position and its eyes looking upward. The green pigments in its eyes may filter out sunlight coming directly from the sea surface, helping the barreleye spot the bioluminescent glow of jellies or other animals directly overhead. When it spots prey (such as a drifting jelly), the fish rotates its eyes forward and swims upward, in feeding mode.
Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM9o4VnfHJU&feature=youtu.be
Story via Monterey Bay Aquarium
http://www.mbari.org/expeditions/biodiversity_biooptics/2015.htm
#biodiversity #barreleye #fish #coolcreatures
Looks like a galaxy in its head...
ReplyDeleteA regular feature now. What could a psycho-analyst derive from obsession with that fish, I wonder. It lives in the depths and has eyes to look straight upwards, now couldn't this feel a bit like it was looking upskirt? You are unconsciously hoping for a voyeur!
ReplyDelete(I am saying all this because I think I clearly remember a post on the same fish by yourself, Corina Marinescu, some time ago, how much, I can't say).