A fish with a transparent head. That sounds something straight out of science fiction but, it is everything but science fiction. A fish like that actually exists and lurks in the depths of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Known as the Barreleye Fish, it is a true miracle of Nature. You won’t believe until you actually see it. So, without further ado, let us delve deep into the information about this ‘unbelievable’ creature. We are pretty sure you are going to love these Barreleye Fish facts.
Barreleyes, also known as spook fish, are small deep-sea argentiniform fish found in tropical-to-temperate waters. These fish are named because of their barrel-shaped, tubular eyes, which are generally directed upwards to detect the silhouettes of available prey; however, the fish are capable of directing their eyes forward, as well.
These deep-sea fish with tubular eyes and transparent head inhabit moderate depths, from the mesopelagic to bathypelagic zone, circa 400–2,500 m deep. They are presumably solitary and do not undergo diel vertical migrations; instead, barreleyes remain just below the limit of light penetration – typically 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.