Underwater Colors (and the lack thereof)

[Newlynarked]

Tried to "search it", couldn't find it. Feel free to link, me or ignore it, but...

We know that color "disappears" with depth, but my question is, why then is colorthere? Do the fish "see" light differently than humans? I think that bees and other bugs use infrared and other light spectrums to view flowers differently than we do. But again, why have color if nothing can see it? Or can they?

 

[AXL72]

Goood questions. I was wondering that myself. "Do fish see colors differently?"

And, if I am at 100 ft and wear my gang colors (red for the Chicago area Disciples), can I stab a rival gang member who is wearing other colors (say blue for the Chicago area Latin Kings or Black for the Gaylords) even though at 100 ft I kinda guess the color is filtered?

j/k but it will be interesting to see what gets posted.

 

[Damselfish]

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=162730

 

[Newlynarked]

Thanks for the link, Damselfish! I knew it had to be here somewhere.

For those who may not have already read the link, the thread rehashes what we already know, light wavelengths are different underwater. There were some posts speaking to the different cones and rods that diffrent sea creatures have, but no real explanation to which creatures see what colors and why it's important to them. But as I read the posts, I remembered something from my photography classes long ago. Even when you are shooting in black and white, color matters! Even with black and white film, green looks very different than red!

So here is my assumption on the matter...Underwater life is meant to be... underwater! It is not an above water ecosystemv (our world) that somehow "survives" underwater. They are supposed to be down there! The colors that we see are changed and different with exposure to our unnatural light, and it thrills us, but what we see (and like to see) is not neccessarily what the fish see or care about! The wide variety of color pigmentation down there is seen as it is supposed to be seen (and used)-- by the creatures that are supposed to see it.

Okay, I'm rambling. Someone pat me on the head and kick me out the door.

 

[Newlynarked]

And, if I am at 100 ft and wear my gang colors (red for the Chicago area Disciples), can I stab a rival gang member who is wearing other colors (say blue for the Chicago area Latin Kings or Black for the Gaylords) even though at 100 ft I kinda guess the color is filtered?

Take 'em all out. Sort with better light on deck. :lurk2:


Yes, yes. I know. :no

 

[wreckchick]

Another way to look at it is that evolutionarily (assuming that exists, please let's not get started) there has been no reason to select against red spectrum colors for fish that live at depth since the actual color is masked by the light absorbtion. That's why fish that appear to be brilliantly colored when photographed with a strobe are actually very well camoflaged without the introdution of artificial light.

Rachel

 

[drbill]

Many nocturnal and some cave dwelling fish are indeed deep red in color. It masks their presence under the low light conditions of night (still some moonlight of course). It may be easier (in terms of physiological "cost") to produce red pigment than something that will be black.

Of course each species' eyes may have different sensitivity to different range of the color spectrum. Hard to generalize. Remember, if evolution is true (and I certainly accept it), life began in the sea and had to adapt (including eyes) to terrestrial life and a different color regime once it emerged from the sea.