The tripod fish, Ipnops murrayi, was only one of two species of fish observed during the dive. The prominent eyes of this species have been hypothesized to produce light; however, during an Okeanos Explorer expedition to the Gulf of Mexico earlier this year, the remotely operated vehicle's lights were turned off to see if its eyespots exhibited bioluminescence and they did not.
Tripod Fish
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Exploring Deep-sea Habitats off Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Download larger version (jpg, 1.2 MB).
The tripod fish, Ipnops murrayi, was only one of two species of fish observed during the dive. The prominent eyes of this species have been hypothesized to produce light; however, during an Okeanos Explorer expedition to the Gulf of Mexico earlier this year, the remotely operated vehicle's lights were turned off to see if its eyespots exhibited bioluminescence and they did not.
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