It looks like an alien, but it’s actually a deep-sea fish that thrives over half a mile below the ocean surface.
The barrelfish, found mainly in the pitch black waters off of the North Pacific, is a peculiar looking fish that has adapted to a lack of light in quite a fascinating way: It evolved a transparent head.
At first glance, you might mistake the olfactory (scent) organs for the eyes. Looking at it this way, the fish would look like quite a sad creature indeed.
The eyes are actually the large, bulbous, and telescoping green features you see in the middle of the head. This design allows the eyes to be directed both upward and forward.
Their unique design allows the species to hunt for prey overhead in extremely low-light situations.
Take a look at the video of this incredible creature in action, captured by Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute:
