Sunday, June 18, 2017

Chiton Mollusks Have Eyes In Shells

The chiton, a kind of marine mollusk, was found with eyes in its shell in 2015 by a Harvard and MIT science team. Ling Li and some other researchers from the team studied a specific type of chitin called, scientifically, Acanthopleura granula. They have "lenses with mineral bases that are scattered across its armored shell." Each lense is less that one tenth of a millimeter in size. 
Tests were done in the Argonne National Library. The science team performed high-resolution X-Ray tomagrahy tests that allowed them to be able to see the eyes. The team believes the eyes are mostly for protective purposes, to keep themselves safe from predators.
I think this is very interesting because it goes to show how much there is about the natural world that scientists do not know yet. I think it is amazing that these organisms were thought to have existed without eyes, and were discovered to be able to see. It is a representation of how much there still is to uncover in the natural world.


Arnold, Catherine. "Chiton Mollusks Can See With Eyes in Their Shells." Nature World News. Nature World News, 19 Nov. 2015. Web. 18 June 2017.

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