By now, everyone must be familiar with the inside out organization of the cephalopod eye relative to ours: they have photoreceptors that face towards the light, while we have photoreceptors that are facing away from the light. There are other important differences, though, some of which came out in a recent Nature podcast with Adam Rutherford (which you can listen to here), which was prompted by a recent publication on the structure of squid rhodopsin.
Continue reading "The subtly different squid eye" (on Pharyngula)
7 Comments
Henry J · 15 May 2008
Should somebody say "but their still just Molluscas!!!11!", or is that joke getting old? :)
Duvenoy · 16 May 2008
I have long been fascinated by cephalopods, both in and out of the skillet, my favorites being cuttlefish.
Anyone who has ever gone squid-jigging or cast-netting knows how excellent the vision of these animals is.... and how remarkably fast something with no discernible tail can swim!
It's appendages aren't exactly noodley and it doesn't fly, in the air, anyway, but if there must be a god(s), squid are as good a choice as any.
doov
Just Bob · 16 May 2008
Maybe squid were created in It's image--or at least as near as humans are created in God's image.
I've given up trying to get any creationist to positively declare exactly in what sense and to what degree we are "created in his image."
Duvenoy · 16 May 2008
No creationist is going to elaborate on that. "The Bible says it; I believe it, and that's all there is to it." Remarking on the probability that men created God in their own image will be met by little more than apologetics, then sneers, and if you're persistant enough, outright accusations of heresy.
I don't recall squid, nor any cephalopod for that matter, mentioned in the Bible, therefore their very existence must be questionable.
doov
Ichthyic · 16 May 2008
It's appendages aren't exactly noodley and it doesn't fly, in the air, anyway, but if there must be a god(s), squid are as good a choice as any.
Cthulhu says to tell you that your position in the line to be eaten first has moved up considerably (though you could be more up front about it), and thanks you for your well wishes.
congratulations!
"May you and yours be eaten first"
cheers
DaveH · 17 May 2008
Pah! Icthyic; So-called "Polonium halos" are the marks of the suckers on His Noodley Appendages. There! Proof! (as if proof were needed).
Stacy S. · 21 May 2008
I have a question for Ichthyic ... Do you know what type of fish this is?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7410421.stm
It flew for 45 seconds!