How Fish Minimize Their Visibility to Predators in Open Waters (3 of 3) (VIDEO)
Caption
Researchers Parrish Brady and Molly Cummings took their work underwater to explore how some species of fish residing in the open ocean have evolved camouflage-like techniques to blend in with their environment. Embedded within their skin are platelets that reflect polarized light - vibrational light that many fish, but not humans, can detect. By refracting the polarized light in just the right way, these fish are less noticeable to their predators. Brady and Cummings describe their research, which involved multiple dives with a specialized camera that detects polarized light, analyzing the reflective abilities of the fish from all angles. They found that the optimal reflective qualities were along the angles that predators use most often to glimpse or attack their prey, such as from directly below or perpendicular to the full length of the fish.
Credit
Carla Schaffer/ AAAS
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