MBARI researchers film rare barreleye fish in 4K
Scientists from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute captured high-resolution footage of a rare barreleye fish during a deep-sea expedition. The sighting provides new visual data on how the species survives in the ocean's twilight zone.
Kernpunten
- MBARI recorded its 11th observation of the barreleye fish (344).
- The sighting was captured using 4K and VR cameras (344).
- The fish features a transparent head shield and rotating tubular eyes (344).
- The expedition focused on studying gelatinous marine animals (344).
Het hele verhaal
During a deep-sea expedition, researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) encountered a barreleye fish (Macropinna microstoma) approximately 600 meters underwater (344). The sighting occurred about 90 kilometers offshore while the Biodiversity and Biooptics Team was using the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Doc Ricketts (344). The fish was spotted by a research specialist as the ROV was being brought to the surface for recovery (344). This encounter represents the 11th time MBARI has observed this specific species (344).
The team used a high-resolution 4K camera on the ROV to observe the fish's behavior for approximately 20 minutes (344). During this time, they experimented with different lighting conditions to highlight the fish's unique transparent head shield (344). They also utilized a VR camera to capture 3D stereo imagery (344). This marks the first time MBARI has filmed the barreleye fish in 4K and the first sighting recorded from their new flagship research vessel, the R/V David Packard (344).
The barreleye fish lives in the ocean's twilight zone, where it scans the water above for the silhouettes of prey (344). It possesses large tubular eyes that can rotate beneath a transparent tissue dome to maintain sight of food (344). This gelatinous shield also serves to protect the eyes when the fish consumes small crustaceans caught in the stinging tentacles of deep-sea siphonophores (344). The species' name, Macropinna microstoma, translates to "large fins, small mouth" (344).
The encounter took place during the "Diving Deep for Delicate Drifters" expedition, which focused on studying how gelatinous animals, such as jellies and ctenophores, have adapted to life in the deep water column (344). While the researchers did not collect a specimen, the recorded footage is intended to help the team understand how marine animals interact with light and use vision to navigate dim environments (344). MBARI's previous sighting of the species was in 2021 (344).
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