Hatchet Fish in the Twilight Zone
In Hatchet Fish in the Twilight Zone, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes how predators and prey interact in the "twilight zone." Watch how a hatchet fish has adapted to hide in low light and how its predator has adapted to be able to find it. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.
Lesson Express
Q: What happens when the hatchet fish turns?
A: They are thin, flat fish, so when they turn, they disappear from view because of how their silver sides reflect the light.
Q: What is on the hatchet fish’s belly?
A: The fish has special cells called photophores on their bellies.
Q: What is the result of the photophores on the fish’s belly?
A: The photophores produce light that matches the changing color of light from the surface, making the hatchet fish almost invisible.
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