Ghosts in the Ocean
These crustaceans conceal themselves by becoming as transparent as possible. Cystisoma is an amphipod that is practically see-through at depths of 300 feet to 1,000 feet, where sunlight can still permeate through the water column. At deeper, darker reaches of the ocean, the animals tend to be red or black, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Researchers recently studied Cystisoma up close and discovered structures that looked like bacteria on the animal’s shell, which reduced the reflection of light, making the animal even more transparent. If you can’t blend in with your environment, why not just vanish?
