Scientists have identified two
new species of fish off New Zealand that belong to the family Opisthoproctidae,
also known as spook fish or “barreleyes”.
Barreleyes, with their large
transparent heads, are one of the rarest and "most peculiar and unknown
fish groups in the deep-sea pelagic realm", researchers say.
Some barreleyes have special
organs on their bellies called "soles", covered with pigmented
scales, that reflect light emitted from luminous organs inside their bellies.
By comparing the pigment patterns
on the soles of barreleyes fish collected near American Samoa and New Zealand
with long-preserved specimens previously caught near the mid-Atlantic ridge and
Australia, researchers found that two species are new to science.
Scientists have discovered two
new species of bioluminescent deep-sea fish off New Zealand.
Both species belong to
the family Opisthoproctidae, also known as spook fish or
“barreleyes”, named for the protruding cylindrical eyes that point
upwards to detect the silhouette of prey, according to a study published
in PLoS ONE.
Barreleyes, with their large
transparent heads, are one of the rarest and “most peculiar and unknown
fish groups in the deep-sea pelagic realm”, researchers write in the paper.
Only 19 species are currently thought to be a part of
this family of fish.
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