A pulsing-mirror eye in a deep-sea ostracod
In the deep sea, it is unknown how eyes that use concave mirrors to focus can distinguish between the small bioluminescent lights of their prey and those larger lights of more distant predators. Beyond 1000 m depth, where sunlight is no longer perceptable, the deep sea contains a continuous field of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Australian Museum
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Records of the Australian Museum |
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| _version_ | 1827591778883076096 |
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| author | Andrew R. Parker |
| author_facet | Andrew R. Parker |
| author_sort | Andrew R. Parker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the deep sea, it is unknown how eyes that use concave mirrors to focus can distinguish between the small bioluminescent lights of their prey and those larger lights of more distant predators. Beyond 1000 m depth, where sunlight is no longer perceptable, the deep sea contains a continuous field of (mostly) blue, bioluminescent lights. Here, some predators, such as the ostracods of the genus Gigantocypris, famed for their gooseberry-like appearance, are attracted to their prey through the prey’s bioluminescence. The enigmatic eyes of Gigantocypris spp. focus light using large, parabolic mirrors. Here, I show that the mirrors flex, pulsing continuously, so causing large, distant light sources to pass in and out of focus while small, nearby light sources remain in focus with each pulse cycle. This distinguishes predators from prey and constitutes a new type of eye. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:37:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bad76c0419ec4132bb3e3d33d976f8d6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0067-1975 2201-4349 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:37:30Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Australian Museum |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Records of the Australian Museum |
| spelling | doaj.art-bad76c0419ec4132bb3e3d33d976f8d62023-12-09T00:26:26ZengAustralian MuseumRecords of the Australian Museum0067-19752201-43492023-12-0175451551710.3853/j.2201-4349.75.2023.1889A pulsing-mirror eye in a deep-sea ostracodAndrew R. Parker0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4564-2838University of OxfordIn the deep sea, it is unknown how eyes that use concave mirrors to focus can distinguish between the small bioluminescent lights of their prey and those larger lights of more distant predators. Beyond 1000 m depth, where sunlight is no longer perceptable, the deep sea contains a continuous field of (mostly) blue, bioluminescent lights. Here, some predators, such as the ostracods of the genus Gigantocypris, famed for their gooseberry-like appearance, are attracted to their prey through the prey’s bioluminescence. The enigmatic eyes of Gigantocypris spp. focus light using large, parabolic mirrors. Here, I show that the mirrors flex, pulsing continuously, so causing large, distant light sources to pass in and out of focus while small, nearby light sources remain in focus with each pulse cycle. This distinguishes predators from prey and constitutes a new type of eye.eye functionnew type of eyepredationbioluminescent lightconcave mirrorscrustaceaostracoda |
| spellingShingle | Andrew R. Parker A pulsing-mirror eye in a deep-sea ostracod Records of the Australian Museum eye function new type of eye predation bioluminescent light concave mirrors crustacea ostracoda |
| title | A pulsing-mirror eye in a deep-sea ostracod |
| title_full | A pulsing-mirror eye in a deep-sea ostracod |
| title_fullStr | A pulsing-mirror eye in a deep-sea ostracod |
| title_full_unstemmed | A pulsing-mirror eye in a deep-sea ostracod |
| title_short | A pulsing-mirror eye in a deep-sea ostracod |
| title_sort | pulsing mirror eye in a deep sea ostracod |
| topic | eye function new type of eye predation bioluminescent light concave mirrors crustacea ostracoda |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andrewrparker apulsingmirroreyeinadeepseaostracod AT andrewrparker pulsingmirroreyeinadeepseaostracod |