Flashing spots on the dorsal trunk of hardyhead silverside fish
Data files
Mar 24, 2021 version files 5.56 MB
Abstract
A large number of living creatures are able to use ambient light effectively in biological signaling. Atherinomorus lacunosus, a teleost fish has alignments of circular spots on its dorsal trunk. The spot consists of iridophores, whose diameters are approximately 7–10 µm. The iridophore contains guanine crystals with diameters of 1–3 µm. Here it is found that more than one spot with a diameter of approximately 0.1 mm causes a rhythmic flashing of light when viewed under white light. The typical light flash has a pulse width of approximately one second. When a pulsed train of flashes appears, the flash repeats at a typical frequency of 0.5–1 Hz. The observed phenomenon is one of the evidences for the existence of rapid colour changing teleost fish.