Monday, October 31, 2011

The Most Bizarre Fish

Opistoproktovye are among the most bizarre of bony fishes. Elongated, almost cylindrical body weak and short of some species, laterally compressed other, a tiny mouth and a huge, intricate eyes, lack of abdominal muscles or abdominal "sole" - all of them strikes the observer's eye. Appearance and characteristics of the skeleton of one species is so unusual that at one time even been suggested that if it were not separate species, but only the ugly form of some other, yet unknown species. In this underdevelopment of the skeleton was associated with lack of vitamin D in his diet. Now, however, this view is abandoned and there is no doubt that such forms are quite separate species.

The family includes six genera opistoproktovyh from 10 species. Some of them, apparently, very rare and known only in three - five instances (Rhynchohyalus, Dolichopteryx, Winteria, Bathylychnops), others are more common (Opisthoproctus, Macropinna). In general, opistoproktovye widespread in tropical and warm temperate waters of the oceans. They all live in the water column at depths ranging from 200 to 2500 m and probably more. Therefore, very few pictures of this bizarre fish.

The maximum size of most species do not exceed 10 cm, and only batilihnops (Bathylychnops exilis) is nearly a half-meter lengths. Batilihnops, has a fairly strong axial muscles and is predatory lifestyle. Batilihnops has a sophisticated organs of sight. This kind of eyes do not have a telescopic structure, but each of them consists of the two eyeballs, ie, it is not one, but two optical systems. For this exclusive feature batilihnops even got the name "chetyrehglazoy" fish. The main, large eyeball is oriented upward, and in this direction batilihnopsa vision binocularly. A second, smaller eyeball is located at the outer edge of the ground and sees the light coming from the bottom and sides. In addition, minor thickening of the cornea, which are also optical devices can receive light coming from behind. Thus, batilihnops is almost complete "all-round visibility."








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