Joshua Hawkins
© Provided by BGR barreleye fish in the ocean
Researchers with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute have captured video of a fish that can see through its own head. It’s known as a barreleye fish and has rarely been seen in the past.
The MBARI researchers managed to capture video of the barreleye fish earlier this month. The video was captured thousands of feet below the surface of Monterey Bay, off California. According to the institute, this is one of only nine times that it has managed to spot the species.
Researchers with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute have captured video of a fish that can see through its own head. It’s known as a barreleye fish and has rarely been seen in the past.
The MBARI researchers managed to capture video of the barreleye fish earlier this month. The video was captured thousands of feet below the surface of Monterey Bay, off California. According to the institute, this is one of only nine times that it has managed to spot the species.
Footage of the barreleye fish is rare
© Provided by BGR a barreleye fish swims in the ocean
Looks at the barreleye fish are rare, MBARI says. When it managed to spot the fish, the institute’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was cruising at around 2,132 feet. The researchers were exploring the Monterey Submarine Canyon. The canyon is one of the deepest found on the Pacific coast (via Live Science).
Thomas Knowles, one of the senior aquarists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium told Live Science that he immediately knew what he was looking at. He says that he saw it in the distance at first, and it was very small. Despite the size, though, the fish was unmistakable.
Knowles also says that the control room buzzed with excitement as the ROV camera brought the barreleye fish into focus. In the video that MBARI shared, you can see how the barreleye fish’s eyes glow bright green in the light from the ROV. It’s a striking sight, especially against the calm blue of the ocean.
Eyes that see through a translucent head
Part of what makes the barreleye fish so intriguing is the way its eyes literally see through its forehead. The eyes can be moved straight ahead or directly up. There are two dark-colored capsules that sit in front of the eyes, too. These capsules act as the fish’s sense of smell.
Barreleye fish can be found in their natural habitat from the Bering Sea to Japan and in Baja California. Because they are found in the ocean’s “twilight zone”, which is roughly 650 to 3,300 feet, there’s no real number on just how many barreleyes there are in the world. MBARI has been getting lucky with its discoveries lately. Just earlier this month it captured footage of a massive phantom jellyfish.
Another scientist with MBARI told Live Science that they encounter barreleye fish less commonly than other twilight zone fish. Other fish found in these areas include the lanternfish and bristlemouth.
The post Freakish fish with transparent head captured in mind-blowing viral video appeared first on BGR.
Click here to read the full article.
Looks at the barreleye fish are rare, MBARI says. When it managed to spot the fish, the institute’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was cruising at around 2,132 feet. The researchers were exploring the Monterey Submarine Canyon. The canyon is one of the deepest found on the Pacific coast (via Live Science).
Thomas Knowles, one of the senior aquarists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium told Live Science that he immediately knew what he was looking at. He says that he saw it in the distance at first, and it was very small. Despite the size, though, the fish was unmistakable.
Knowles also says that the control room buzzed with excitement as the ROV camera brought the barreleye fish into focus. In the video that MBARI shared, you can see how the barreleye fish’s eyes glow bright green in the light from the ROV. It’s a striking sight, especially against the calm blue of the ocean.
Eyes that see through a translucent head
Part of what makes the barreleye fish so intriguing is the way its eyes literally see through its forehead. The eyes can be moved straight ahead or directly up. There are two dark-colored capsules that sit in front of the eyes, too. These capsules act as the fish’s sense of smell.
Barreleye fish can be found in their natural habitat from the Bering Sea to Japan and in Baja California. Because they are found in the ocean’s “twilight zone”, which is roughly 650 to 3,300 feet, there’s no real number on just how many barreleyes there are in the world. MBARI has been getting lucky with its discoveries lately. Just earlier this month it captured footage of a massive phantom jellyfish.
Another scientist with MBARI told Live Science that they encounter barreleye fish less commonly than other twilight zone fish. Other fish found in these areas include the lanternfish and bristlemouth.
The post Freakish fish with transparent head captured in mind-blowing viral video appeared first on BGR.
Click here to read the full article.
Rare monstrous-looking fish washes ashore on San Diego beach
Lynn Chaya
A rare deep-sea creature was discovered washed ashore on Swami’s Beach in Encinitas, San Diego last week, the third incident of its kind in the past year.
“It is pretty amazing that we’ve had three just in the past year and in Southern California alone because before that, the last time it happened in California, at least that we were aware of, that somebody saw and brought to scientists was 20 years ago today,” said Frable.
Jay Beiler, the man who stumbled upon the same species on Black’s Beach just a few weeks prior, told NBC “it’s the stuff of nightmares.”
Very little information has been collected due to its rarity, bewildering scientists. Basic data such as the fish’s diet, its reproduction systems or why they’ve been coincidentally washing ashore in Southern California are unknown.
“Unfortunately, we don’t really know why. We have such little information and so few data points that we can’t really make a determination,” Frable said.
“I’m chatting with colleagues who study coastal oceanography, talking to other colleagues that work on anglerfishes and other fish, and we’re having a little chat trying to figure out, to come up with any ideas. But with these three data points, we can’t really draw any conclusions.”
The deep-sea creature will be preserved in a jar of alcohol and stored with two million other fish specimens at the Scripps Institute.
Lynn Chaya
A rare deep-sea creature was discovered washed ashore on Swami’s Beach in Encinitas, San Diego last week, the third incident of its kind in the past year.
© Provided by National Post
Lifeguards on duty alerted local scientists when a strolling surfer stumbled upon the 33 centimetre fish, said David Huff, a marine safety sergeant with the city of Encinitas. The pristine specimen was handed over to the collection manager of marine vertebrates at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Ben Frable.
“I first found out about anglerfish from an educational video game on Windows ’95 back in elementary school, so it’s pretty exciting,” said the collection manager.
Scientifically known as Himantolophus sagamius, the Pacific footballfish, a rare species of anglerfish, swims between 300 and 1,500 metres beneath the surface. This particular species inhabits deep waters beyond the sun’s reach, the scientist said. The dangling bioluminescent light on top of its head acts as a lure to attract prey into its razor sharp tooth-filled mouth.
Lifeguards on duty alerted local scientists when a strolling surfer stumbled upon the 33 centimetre fish, said David Huff, a marine safety sergeant with the city of Encinitas. The pristine specimen was handed over to the collection manager of marine vertebrates at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Ben Frable.
“I first found out about anglerfish from an educational video game on Windows ’95 back in elementary school, so it’s pretty exciting,” said the collection manager.
Scientifically known as Himantolophus sagamius, the Pacific footballfish, a rare species of anglerfish, swims between 300 and 1,500 metres beneath the surface. This particular species inhabits deep waters beyond the sun’s reach, the scientist said. The dangling bioluminescent light on top of its head acts as a lure to attract prey into its razor sharp tooth-filled mouth.
Frable said that only 31 anglerfish specimens are known to exist worldwide and the fish has never been observed in the wild. Curiously, however, the creature has has made three appearances on the shores of Southern California in the last year alone.
“It is pretty amazing that we’ve had three just in the past year and in Southern California alone because before that, the last time it happened in California, at least that we were aware of, that somebody saw and brought to scientists was 20 years ago today,” said Frable.
Jay Beiler, the man who stumbled upon the same species on Black’s Beach just a few weeks prior, told NBC “it’s the stuff of nightmares.”
Very little information has been collected due to its rarity, bewildering scientists. Basic data such as the fish’s diet, its reproduction systems or why they’ve been coincidentally washing ashore in Southern California are unknown.
“Unfortunately, we don’t really know why. We have such little information and so few data points that we can’t really make a determination,” Frable said.
“I’m chatting with colleagues who study coastal oceanography, talking to other colleagues that work on anglerfishes and other fish, and we’re having a little chat trying to figure out, to come up with any ideas. But with these three data points, we can’t really draw any conclusions.”
The deep-sea creature will be preserved in a jar of alcohol and stored with two million other fish specimens at the Scripps Institute.
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