![]() | Changing Eyes! |
December 4, 2002 Here is a riddle for you:
As a baby, I have compound eyes that are sensitive to dim blue light. As a kid, my eyes are most sensitive to blue-green light. As an adult, my eyes lose their lenses and cannot form images. What am I?
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To study these animals, scientists collected vent crabs in the Pacific
Ocean using the submersible Alvin explorer. The researchers found that
larval crabs have compound eyes similar to those of insects. The compound
eyes have lenses and can focus images. These data demonstrate how one animal adapts its sensory organs to fit its environment. The scientists believe that the changing eyes of the vent crab work with thermal and chemical senses to help the animal find a suitable home near thermal vents on the ocean floor. |
Reference and further information:
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