Macropinna microstoma Picture by MBARI. When the barreleye fish is so deep where there is little light, it can detect its prey just by seeing its silhouette. Let’s learn some other interesting deep sea creature species. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. But this is not all, not only their eyes are strange, it’s that the Barreleye Fish has the particularity that can move them in all directions: forward, backward and sideways. Their diet is based on small crustaceans, especially copepods, which are small crustacean animals that are part of the zooplankton. This is because it’s their food and has developed this shield to protect themselves from them. At the time of having a specimen for study, researcher Tammy Frank, took a flash photograph of the animal. However, in 1911 it was better studied by the researcher Zugmayer. This predator avoidance strategy involves the use of ventral light to break up the fishes' silhouettes, so that (when viewed from below) they blend in with the ambient light from above. We invite you to read our article mantish shrimps to learn about other creature with interesting visions kills. Publishers. The barrel eye or spook fish lives in the deep sea and has a unique way of making use of the small amount of light that exists in the deep. It is characterized by barrel-shaped eyes which generally point straight up. Adult colorization is dark brown, while its fins are colored a silvery white. Episode 54 – Pistol Shrimp: The Sonic Slayer. This fish is normally found in the batpellagic area of ​​the ocean, living between 500 and 2400 meters below sea level. It’s bingeworthy! It has a long neck, a long body, stubby little feet with the mouse’s trademark pink people hands, and a short tail. Barreleye Seafood. It can live between 300 and 800 meters below sea level, although it prefers to stay between 500 and 700 meters deep. Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. The Barreleye Fish has one of the most unusual appearances among deep sea creatures. Life, Death, and Taxonomy is a family friendly show hosted by two fun and energetic hosts who have a great way of explaining topics. That holds true due to the facts that these grow extremely large and also develop contained within a transparent dome of soft tissue. This species of barreleye fish belongs to the genus Opisthoproctus, which was first discovered and described by Vaillant in 1888. The gas bladder is absent in most species, and the lateral line is uninterrupted. The Anatomy of Fish: Classification, body parts and more. Many of  its specimens are also found in California, United States. The characteristic green pigment of their eyes and glasses is what allows them to filter the sunlight coming directly from the surface; this way they can look up looking at the bioluminescent light produced by jellyfish and other aquatic creatures. On this episode of Animal Fact Files discover some deep sea fish with amazing eyes! Argentinidae), an epibranchial or crumenal organ is present behind the fourth gill arch. It has a transparent head which is really see through and its eyes are tubular. The anal fin has between 2 and 3 rays that are very rudimentary and almost invisible. The distribution of some species coincides with the isohaline and isotherm layers of the ocean; for example, in Opisthoproctus soleatus, upper distribution limits coincide with the 400-m isotherm for 8 °C (46 °F). It has been concluded that the shield that covers their head is intended to protect them from the stinging substances that the cnidarians and siphonophores secrete, so that they can be eaten safely. It’s not known for sure the exact diet of the barreleye fish, although some studies that have been carried out of their stomach reveal that they usually eat jellyfish and cnidarian animals. Furthermore, this dome sits on the head of the fish. Most barreleye fish have eyes that look like weird tubes and face upward, but they’re still on the outside of the body. The fertilized eggs are buoyant and planktonic; the larvae and juveniles drift with the currents—likely at much shallower depths than the adults—and upon metamorphosis into adult form, they descend to deeper waters. It’s a mainly tropical fish from the central waters of the southern Atlantic Ocean. Since the head is almost completely transparent, it can look straight through its own head to look for prey above it. 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