How blackest fish disappears in the deepest sea? Mystery solved

In a recent study, scientists have solved the mystery behind how the blackest fishes in the deep sea are so extremely black and how they camouflage in a fish-eat-fish world in a bid to save themselves. As per research published in the journal Current Biology, the researchers revealed that the fishes ‘ultra-black’ skin traps light which provides them with the ultimate camouflage. They also explained that as there is nowhere to hide from predators in the deep ocean so the ‘ultra-blackness’ renders creatures almost invisible. 

As per the study, fish like the fangtooth, the pacific black dragon, the anglerfish and the black swallower have modified shape, size and packing of the pigment in their skin to the point that it reflects less than 0.5 per cent of the light that hits it. The researchers said that they studied nearly 16 species that fit its definition of ultra-black. Further, the researchers said that several ultra-black species appear independently to have evolved that exact same thick. 

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Zoologist Karen Osborn of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington and the co-author of the research said, “In the deep, open ocean, there is nowhere to hide and a lot of hungry predators. An animal’s only option is to blend in with the background”. 

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A basis for new ultra-black material 

Osborn informed that very little sunlight penetrates more than 650 feet below the ocean’s surface and some of these fish reside three miles deep. She explained that at such depths, bioluminescence, which is basically light emission by a living organism, is the only light source. She also added that some of the ultra-black fish also have bioluminescent layers in the dies to coax prey close enough to be eaten. 

The scientists believe that the new study could provide them with the basis for new ultra-black materials, such as coatings for the interior of telescopes or cameras. As the skin of these fishes among the blacks material known, Osborn said that she discovered the secret behind it while she was trying to photograph them after they were brought to the surface. She also noted that the fish skin absorbs light in such a manner that even in the bright light they appeared to be silhouetted. 

(Image: @alfonsomaria13, @bdmazur/Twitter)

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