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You are in: Home > > First Look at the Rare Barreleye Fish

First Look at the Rare Barreleye Fish

20 by LiveOAK Staff on February 24, 2009

Barrel Eye Fish

This is the first picture taken of the Macropinna microstoma or “Barrel Eye” fish.  This strange little guy has a transparent head so it’s eyes can rotate back and it can see right through it’s “dome” and see what’s going on above.

barreleye

“Barreleyes typically live near the depth where sunlight from the surface fades to complete blackness. They use their ultra-sensitive tubular eyes to search for the faint silhouettes of prey overhead.”

Scientists have known about ol’ Barrel Eye since 1939, but until 2004 have only seen mangled bodies dragged to the surface by fishing nets.  This picture taken in 2004 in the deep water off California's central coast by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), but was just released yesterday.

barreleye5barreleye2barreleye3barreleye4

Source: Monterey Bay Research Institute

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20 responses to “First Look at the Rare Barreleye Fish”

  1. RB
    RB
    February 24, 2009 at 1:22 pm |

    What’s funny, is that when MSNBC reported on this, the headline was “Weird Fish Can Actually See Through Its Own Transparent Head.”

  2. Matt Embrey
    Matt Embrey
    February 24, 2009 at 10:45 pm |

    @RB That headline is classic!

  3. Peter Marquardt
    Peter Marquardt
    March 2, 2009 at 5:11 pm |

    I would not be surprised if this was fake. The video in the original post shows very mechanical movements and the inside of the transparent head is glowing right where the eyes are? really? If anything I believe this is a 3D recreation of the fish, not the real thing.
    Convince me that it’s real.

  4. Craig
    Craig
    March 3, 2009 at 10:30 am |

    I knew it! I knew there’d be a guy–who knows absolutely nothing about marine biology–sooner or later come around and claim the ubiquitous “fake!” or “photoshopped!”
    Classy.

    1. mojo
      mojo
      June 16, 2011 at 6:59 pm |

      i love u to

  5. billtedjimbob
    billtedjimbob
    March 19, 2009 at 11:07 pm |

    Fake!!!!! Photoshopped!!!!!!

    1. oscar
      oscar
      March 20, 2009 at 3:13 pm |

      NO ITS NOT! G O S H !!!!!!!!

  6. oscar
    oscar
    March 20, 2009 at 3:12 pm |

    oh, well i think it iz real

    1. mojo
      mojo
      June 16, 2011 at 7:00 pm |

      like my penis

  7. cheyenne
    cheyenne
    March 22, 2009 at 11:15 am |

    woooooooooooooooooow!! that is the most interesting fih in the world! when i first saw it i thought it was fake! but now……………….. im doing my report in school in it!!!

  8. Imy
    Imy
    April 5, 2009 at 11:35 am |

    That looks really wierd, I want to see a real one. lol
    But I dont like seeing these comments saying it is photoshopped. I dont know why they are saying that. :S
    And this website is really nice! ^^

  9. bob
    bob
    June 16, 2011 at 6:50 pm |

    this is real because i caught one on a fishing trip

  10. bob
    bob
    June 16, 2011 at 6:53 pm |

    if u read this you are gay

  11. hehe
    hehe
    June 16, 2011 at 6:54 pm |

    i lyk penis

  12. mojo
    mojo
    June 16, 2011 at 6:58 pm |

    me too lol :l

  13. mojojojo
    mojojojo
    July 12, 2011 at 7:03 pm |

    i think ur all hot

  14. john
    john
    July 13, 2011 at 12:52 am |

    i lov vagina

  15. nyan
    nyan
    July 13, 2011 at 6:53 pm |

    69 . <3

Sites linking to this article:


  1. links for 2009-03-05 | The Computer Vet Weblog
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    March 5, 2009 at 4:00 am |

    [...] First Look at the Rare Barreleye Fish | greenUPGRADER [...]

  2. Barreleye fish pictures
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    July 19, 2011 at 2:01 pm |

    [...] First Look at the Rare Barreleye Fish | greenUPGRADER Feb 24, 2009 … This is the first picture taken of the Macropinna microstoma or “Barrel Eye” fish. … [...]