Scientists Find Fish That ‘sees With Its Skin ‘even After It Dies

Scientists Find Fish That ‘sees With Its Skin ‘even After It Dies

A new study shows that pigs that live in coral reefs monitor changes in their skin color based on the environment they swim in and use special light-sensitive cells on their skin to sense their surroundings "even after their death".

The study, published this week in the journal Nature , advances our understanding of the behavior and evolution of these fish and shows how some animals can quickly detect changes in skin color and adapt.

"They seem to notice changes in their color," said study co-author Lori Schweckert.

"You can tell what the animal's skin looks like because it can't bend down to see it," said Sonke Johnson, another study author.

Many fish, including squids, amphibians, reptiles, and fish, have the natural ability to rapidly change color, and this characteristic has evolved repeatedly in different animal species.

Animals find the trait useful for adapting to changes in ambient temperature, attracting mates and camouflage, say researchers including those at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in the US.

Cells in their bodies called chromatophores, which contain pigments, crystals, or tiny reflective sheets, allow these animals to change color in minutes or less.

For example, pigs change color to camouflage themselves and escape predators, or as a social signal.

Widespread in the western Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina to Brazil, this reef fish is known for its discolored skin.

It has been known to change from white to speckled brown in milliseconds, blending in with coral, sand or rocks.

They do this by moving pigments into the body's chromatophore cells to reveal or cover the underlying white tissue.

However, it is still unclear how porpoises regulate and perceive these color changes.

What really surprised the scientists in this study was that the fish continued to drown even though it was no longer alive.

In the new study, they used a microscope to examine the skin of a pigfish in detail, measuring the effect of light on different parts of the fish.

The researchers discovered that a photoreceptor called SWS1, located under the chromatophores, could be involved in this process.

They say these cells are sensitive to bright light through the colors expressed by chromatophores, particularly the wavelengths of light found in coral habitat.

Scientists say these receptors tell fish where and how the color change is happening in different parts of their skin.

"By studying the morphology, physiology and optics of cutaneous photoreceptors in porcine ( Lachnolaimus maximus ), we have described the cellular mechanisms by which the activity of chromatophores (i.e. diffusion and aggregation ) alters the transmitted light targeting the SWS1 receptor in affected skin." in the newspaper. a work.

This feature allows reef fish to monitor chromatophores and perceive information about their staining performance.

"Animals can actually photograph the inside of their skin. You can tell what an animal's skin looks like because they can't bend down to see it." Johnson.

"To be clear, we're not claiming that a stingray's skin acts like its eyes," Dr. Hans said. Schweckert, adding that the eyes can perceive much more than just light.

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