a Pacific barreleye fish shows off its highly sensitive, barrel-like eyes--topped by green, orblike lenses
first specimen of its kind to be found with its soft transparent dome intact.
The 6-inch (15-centimeter) barreleye (Macropinna microstoma) had been known since 1939--but only from mangled specimens dragged to the surface by nets.
The barreleye lives more than 2,000 feet (600 meters) beneath the ocean's surface, where the water is almost inky.
The green lens atop each of the fish's eyes filters out what little sunlight makes it down from the surface, allowing the fish to focus on the bioluminescence of small jellies or other prey passing overhead.
Since the eyes are upright tubes, "it just looked like [they only] looked straight up
scientists discovered that the eyes can pivot, like a birdwatcher pointing binoculars.
clipped from news.nationalgeographic.com
clipped from news.nationalgeographic.com
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