Snakes can control blood flow in their "spectacles", scientists have found.
The animals are known for their lack of eyelids, and instead have a transparent scale covering their eyes for protection.
These "spectacles" contain blood vessels, and researchers investigated how this arrangement does not obscure vision.
They found blood flow changed when the snakes perceived a threat, allowing for optimal vision.
The study, by scientists from the University of Waterloo School of Optometry in Canada was published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
"Reptilian spectacles are essentially the result of eyelids that fused and became transparent during embryonic development," said lead researcher Dr Kevin van Doorn.
"And because these are scaly animals we're talking about, a large scale covers its surface and is referred to simply as the 'spectacle scale'."
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