![]() ![]() On the deck of a research vessel patrolling the Gulf of California, Karen Osborn peers into a recently collected water sample for miniscule, deep-sea organisms. Many species, including toothy anglerfish and eyeless cavefish, invest little in sight, utilizing heightened senses like smell and touch to guide themselves through inky water. But even eagle-eyed critters struggle to see in the dark, which is why animals in the deepest and darkest depths of the ocean have developed some of the most extreme eyes on the planet.Īccording to Karen Osborn, a research zoologist at the National Museum of Natural History, deep-sea denizens usually approach vision in two very different ways. Animals utilize sight to pinpoint prey, spot predators and check out potential mates. Vision is a vital component of many species’ sensory toolboxes. ![]() ![]() Some of the strangest eyes on the planet belong to Phronima amphipods, a group of crustaceans whose heads are covered by two distinct pairs of eyes. ![]()
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