- 6 total number
- Not Applicable (northeastern Pacific)
The fish with most eyes is the six-eyed spookfish (Bathylychnops exilis), which inhabits depths of 91–910 m (300–3,000 ft) in the northeastern Pacific, and was only discovered by science in 1958. A slender 45-cm (17-in) long pike-like species, it not only has a pair of large, principal eyes, but also has a second, smaller pair, known as secondary globes, positioned within the lower half of its principal eyes and pointing downwards. Each of these globes possesses its own lens and retina, and may help to increase the spookfish’s sensitivity to light in its shadowy surroundings. Moreover, located behind the secondary globes is a third pair of eyes, which lack retinas, but divert incoming light into the fish’s large principal eyes.