What are the main characteristics of the Ojo de Barril fish? Here are the keys to understanding why he has skin that reveals his brain.
The Barreleye, whose literal translation would be Barrel Eye, is a strange fish that nature has given us in order to see how wise it is. The animal kingdom always holds surprises for us and in the marine world, these take on an even greater dimension. On this occasion, we want to talk to you about a species that is especially striking for having a skin structure that is completely translucent. Thanks to it, it is possible to see organs such as the brain or, simply, the eye sockets themselves.
Belonging to the Opisthoproctidae family, it is a fish that lives mainly in deep waters in Argentina. Even so, it should be noted that they have been seen in other areas, such as the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. This curious animal has a series of very interesting curiosities, so it is worth mentioning some of its main features. After all, we are dealing with a type of fish that is not usually seen very often due to the depth at which it lives.
Let us see, therefore, why the Macropinna microstoma, which is how it is known in scientific terms, He has his peculiar face, what are the keys to understanding this key piece in its evolution and, of course, to what extent we are facing a unique fish in the world. There are a total of 12 varieties, but the species mentioned below stands out, above all, for having its partially transparent head. Here is the result of it.
Barrel eye, the fish with the partially transparent face
According to the specialized portal Fact Animal, this fish stands out, first of all, for having a skin that completely reveals what is inside the head. In this way, you can perfectly appreciate the brain and the hole in which, among others, the eye sockets are located. It’s important to put attention on a transparent shield is present in the inner cavity which consists of the presence of a fluid that protects the eyes of the fish. This solution, however, is very sensitive to external conditions.
In fact, the investigations that have been carried out in this regard determine that there is a certain deterioration of this substance when analyzed. In relation to their eyes, they are capable of rotating in order to obtain as much light as possible at the depth at which they live. Similarly, orientation can be quickly changed in order to quickly search for prey. This is one of the main qualities of this fish in particular, since can feed more easily thanks to this tool despite living at depths between 400 and 2,500 meters.
One of the most striking features of this particular species is that it is barely able to detect shades of color. Failing that, they are guided by the brightness, which is given off by sunlight and, on the other hand, the reflection that is shown in their potential prey. The greenish-tinted lenses aim, therefore, focus the light to be able to catch the prey with greater ease. As you can see, it is an operation that requires great concentration and coordination.
We are facing a fish that is not easy to spot. After all, dives to these depths are not the norm. Even so, the success rate is very small. So much so that the barrel eye It has only been seen 9 times of a total of 5,600 dives. The main impediment is directly related to exposure to light from filming equipment. In these depths, the light hardly has an impact, so it is necessary to use specialized lighting equipment that makes it difficult for this type of species to appear around.