Scientists have discovered a fish that “sees” with its skin even after it is dead

the Pork that live on coral reefs chameleon Atlantic Ocean, where they change the color of their skin depending on their environment. However, these fish have another impressive ability as well They “see” with their skin This is done with the help of special cells that receive light even after their death, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications.

Laurian Schweckert, assistant professor in the Department of Biology and Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina and co-author of the study, noticed this phenomenon while on a fishing trip in Florida when she saw a pigfish (Lachnolaimus maximus) change its skin color to match its skin tone. The white deck of the boat the researcher was on.

“It looks like they are watching their color change,” said the researcher.

Many fish, amphibians, and reptiles have the natural ability to change color rapidly, and this trait has evolved many times in many different animal species. This ability helps animals to Adapting to temperature changesTo attract mates they camouflage themselves, according to the researchers. The cells in their bodies are called chromophore They contain pigments, tiny reflective crystals or sheets that allow these animals to rapidly change colors in minutes or less.

Pigfish have been known to turn from white to reddish-brown in a matter of minutes milliseconds. It achieves this by transferring dye to the pigment cells in its body to reveal or cover the underlying white tissue. However, how these color changes are regulated and perceived remains unclear.

What particularly surprised the study scientists was that the fish remained camouflaged even after its death. Using a microscope, they examined the porpoise’s skin in detail, measuring the effect of light on different parts of its body. And they found that photoreceptorswhich is called SWS1which are located below the chromatophores, may be involved in the process of color change.

According to the scientists, these receptors provide information to the fish about where and how color changes occur in different parts of their skin.

“These fish are able to take a picture of the inside of their skin,” explained Dr Sonky Johnson, co-author of the study.

“To be clear, we’re not saying that the skin of the pigfish acts like eyes,” Schweckert emphasized, adding that eyes are capable of more than just detecting light.

source: independent