K. A TLR fish! AZ LOOKAROUND - Since 1978 Build a 120/35mm Lookaround! The Lookaround E-Book 5ed. http://www.panoramacamera.us > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: [SPAM] interesting! > From: karl shah-jenner <shahjen@xxxxxxxxxxxx> > Date: Thu, September 24, 2009 11:14 pm > To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students > <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolichopteryx_longipes > "e brownsnout spookfish, Dolichopteryx longipes, is a species of barreleye > in the family Opisthoproctidae. It is the only vertebrate known to employ a > mirror, as opposed to a lens, to focus an image in its eyes" > D. longipes is unusual in that it utilizes both refractive and reflective > optics in sight. The main tubular eye contains a lateral ovoid swelling > called a "diverticulum", largely separated from the eye by a septum. The > retina lines most of the interior of the eye, and there are two corneal > openings, one directed up and the other down, that allow light into the > main eye and the diverticulum respectively. The main eye employs a lens to > focus its image, as in other fishes. However, inside the diverticulum the > light is reflected and focused onto the retina by a curved composite mirror > derived from the retinal tapetum, composed of many layers of small > reflective plates made of guanine crystals. The split structure of the D. > longiceps eye allows the fish to see both up and down at the same time. In > addition, the mirror system is superior to a lens in gathering light. It is > likely that the main eye serves to detect objects silhouetted against the > sunlight, while the diverticulum serves to detect bioluminescent flashes > from the sides and below.[1]
