What kind of special adaptation does the barreleye fish have?

In addition to their amazing “headgear,” barreleyes have a variety of other interesting adaptations to deep-sea life. Their large, flat fins allow them to remain nearly motionless in the water, and to maneuver very precisely (much like MBARI’s ROVs).

Why do barreleye fish have a transparent head?

To better serve their vision, barreleyes have large, dome-shaped, transparent heads; this presumably allows the eyes to collect even more incident light and likely protects the sensitive eyes from the nematocysts (stinging cells) of the siphonophores, from which the barreleye is believed to steal food.

How deep are barreleye fish found?

2,000 to 2,600 feet
“The barreleye lives in the ocean’s twilight zone, at depths of 600 to 800 m (2,000 to 2,600 feet),” MBARI scientists said. “Its eyes look upwards to spot its favorite prey — usually small crustaceans trapped in the tentacles of siphonophores — from the shadows they cast in the faint shimmer of sunlight from above.”

Do barreleye fish have teeth?

It has nostril-like structures on the front of its face, that look like the fish’s eyes, but are in fact olfactory organs akin to human nostrils. It’s small mouth looks more like a snout, and has no teeth.

How does the barreleye fish see?

The Barreleye fish The green glowing orbs that you can see through the transparent head are the eyes. The fish can rotate them upward to look for prey above it. When the fish wants to see the food it’s eating, it rotates the eyes forward.

Can you keep a barreleye as a pet?

Barreleye fish are a relatively new species. They live deep in the sea and haven’t been properly discovered yet, so there’s no scope for them being taken as pets. Also, they’re wild sea creatures, so they would not make good pets.

What does a barreleye eat?

jellies
Barreleye fish (Macropinna microstoma) feed on jellies, other siphonophores, and crustaceans. When they’re young they also feed on zooplankton.

How do barreleye fish see?

The barreleye fish (Macropinna microstoma) can see through its skull. According to MBARI, despite 5,600 dives and more than 27,600 hours of video recordings done by advanced remotely operated vehicles, the marine scientists could only encounter the fish nine times.

Who discovered barreleye fish?

Discovery. The Barreleye fish were discovered by the marine biologist, Chapman in 1939. However, the transparent head of the fish and its specimen were unknown till 2004. Earlier, when the barreleye fish were caught, the fragile structure of its head were destroyed by the net while bringing them to the surface.

What does the barreleye eat?

The barreleye has a strong digestive system and it usually feeds on jellies and small drifting animals. The small marine creatures trapped on the tentacles of the jellies are also targeted by the barreleye fish.

Where is barreleye fish found?

The barreleye fish, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, has a transparent head, and can primarily be found throughout the Pacific, from the Bering Sea to Japan and Baja California at depths of up to 2,600 feet.

Is the barreleye rare?

Video shows the rarely seen and bizarre-looking barreleye fish swimming in deep waters off the California Coast. Something very freaky is lurking in the deep waters off the California coast. Researchers aboard a deep sea vessel spotted a barreleye fish and captured the rare sighting on video.

What does the barreleye fish look like?

The barreleye might look like a submarine, but its transparent head is necessary to navigate the 2,500-feet-deep waters in which it lives. At first glance, the barreleye fish might look more like an alien creature than anything earthly.

Why is the barreleye so good at hunting?

The barreleye uses their large flat fins to suspend motionless in the deep water… The size of the fins, while perfect for stability and keeping them stationary, deliver exceptional maneuverability for hunting. The position of their eyes works perfectly in concert with their fins, making them an excellent ambush predator.

How deep in the ocean can you find barreleye?

Barreleye Fish is a deep water fish. It is usually found at a depth of 2,000 feet to 2,600 feet but they can also be found at depths of 3,330 feet. 28. This fish is found in the three major oceans of the world – the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean.

How do barreleye fish adapt to their environment?

14. One of the most incredible adaptations of the Barreleye Fish is that they have large and flat fins. These fins allow the fish to stay absolutely motionless in deep waters. 15. While the fins allow it to stay absolutely motionless, the fins are also designed to give them the ability of precise maneuvers which hunting for food.