Fish of the Day 22 - I got that barreleye in me

Today's second fish of the day is the barreleye fish! I remember learning about it on octonauts x)

Barreleye fish facts:

- The first thing you probably noticed are this creature's big, glowing eyes! The barreleye fish's eyes are on display inside it's fluid-filled, transparent skull. (you can also see it's brain and nerves, however the image i chose doesn't show it very well.)  They are currently the only creature known to possess this trait.

- Because of it's unique eye placement, it is able to look up and forwards without moving it's body. This helps it spot it's prey... which is mostly zooplankton and other small crustaceans. 

- This creature wasn't discovered very long ago, it was first found in 1939 (85 years ago). The previous fact about it's eye movement was discovered even more recently: which was in 2009!

- Another feature they have are their large, flat fins, though i'm sure you didn't notice them originally; they get outshined by the eyes! Although they may not be as note-worthy, the barreleye is able to stay nearly motionless in the water by using them.

- Another fact about this odd creature's eyes... instead of being circular like most animals, the barreleye fish's eyes are cylindrical. 

- If these things feel unnerving, hopefully it'll help a little to know that they're very small. They only grow up to around 6 inches.

Do you got that barreleye in you? I think it's a very cool fish and i love how eerie it looks! The beautiful (ish) barreleye will always be in my heart.... along with yeti crabs and mantis shrimp