The barreleye fish might look like a submarine, but its transparent head and tubular eyes are necessary to navigate the 2,500-feet-deep waters in which it dwells. And scientists have now solved the half-century-old mystery of how it uses them.
At first glance, the barreleye fish (Macropinna microstoma) might look more like an alien creature than anything earthly. But the “spookfish” (as its more aptly known) is very much a real creature that lives deep in our oceans. It is considered by biologists to be one of the “most peculiar and unknown fish groups in the deep-sea pelagic realm.”
The name of the barreleye comes from the pair of tubular eyes embedded in its transparent head which looks like a deep ocean submarine with a large glass window. This unique physical setup is actually one that illuminates the abyss in which the barreleye lurks, making it an astute hunting tool.
Marine biologists used to know very little about this creature – until now. One thing they have known ever since the “barreleye” fish (Macropinna microstoma) was first described in 1939 is that its tubular eyes are very good at collecting light. However, they believed the eyes were fixed in place and provided only a “tunnel-vision” view of whatever was directly above the fish’s head.
Then, in 2009, researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) were able to observe a live barreleye fish that was successfully brought to the surface for several hours. During their observation of the fish, biologists uncovered some shocking revelations.
Source : earthlymission.com
