The barreleye has been known to science since 1939 but scientists have never understood why the fish had a see-through head. Well now researchers at MBARI have solved the mystery: the barreleyes' see-through heads allow them to read each others' thoughts!
OK not true. Actually, their see through heads allow their long tubular eyes to actually stare up through their own noggins. We strongly suggest you go visit the sea monkeys at Deep Sea News to get the whole story. But if you don't care about "facts", and just want pretty pictures and scintillating see-through fish video, well, we got that for you.
Thanks to Josh Attenberg for alerting us to this.
Life Science
Brain & Behavior
Comments
I think that it is about a goldfish in a polythene bag.
Posted by: humorix | February 24, 2009 11:30 AM
This is why I love your site. Golly, animals are so effing cool.
Posted by: Tyler | February 24, 2009 12:24 PM
I want a tranparent head too.
Posted by: Phil | February 24, 2009 1:00 PM
where can i get see-through head sushi?
Posted by: Andrew B | February 24, 2009 2:51 PM
I have seen something like this in Burton's sci-fi spoof Mars Attacks!
Posted by: milkshake | February 24, 2009 3:01 PM
How cool!
Posted by: Lilian Nattel | February 24, 2009 4:28 PM
*Man*, when I see things like this I have to wonder about my grammar school science textbooks and WHY they chose to leave this out.
It's probably a good thing I no longer work for a children's science textbook publisher--I'd totally ditch one chapter in favor of just pictures and pictures of crazy stuff like this with captions reading 'HOLY CRAP NO WAY SEE-THROUGH HEAD FISH!!!!' Thank waffles there are REAL scientists writing those books!
Posted by: Jenbug | February 24, 2009 6:03 PM
Jeezelouise, unbelievable.
Posted by: ym | February 24, 2009 6:56 PM
This blew my mind.
Posted by: Patrick | February 24, 2009 7:43 PM
It took me quite a while to actually see the eyes the correct way. "little things...green things...blobs...and OH. There."
Why is it that the clear part seems almost luminescent?
Posted by: Zelly | February 25, 2009 1:47 AM
That doesn't even seem real, yet it IS. I too had to look twice for the eyes. What LOOK like eyes are the nose holes...the eyes are inside the head...green. Really bizarre and even a bit creepy.
Posted by: Pat K. | February 25, 2009 4:19 PM
In my opinion the largest threat for California are cataclysms and ecological catastrophes. Not important is how many money we have because one tragedy can us take all.
Posted by: alufelgi | February 25, 2009 7:33 PM
Dearest poster alufelgi,
Perhaps you have been staring at the strange see-through-head fish waaaaay too long????
Posted by: Pat | February 27, 2009 9:00 AM
strangr seelarrsst for thanks
Posted by: bursa evden eve nakliyat | February 27, 2009 11:47 PM
thank site
Posted by: mobilya | March 17, 2009 7:02 AM
good nice
Posted by: halı yıkama makinası | March 17, 2009 7:04 AM
thanks
Posted by: evlenmek istiyorum | March 18, 2009 4:58 PM
From what I've seen of nature programs, certain birds of paradise might prefer a puppet to the real thing. It looked to me that if the female just stayed still long enough that was considered 'acceptance' and the male just hopped on top.
And I feel like I need to know what words this little guy was saying that would turn off his female companion. For my own edification mostly, but also because I'm sure that we're missing out on some serious comedy gold.
Posted by: hiphop | July 13, 2009 12:58 PM
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Posted by: caillou | September 18, 2010 3:49 PM