The Four-Eyed Fish is a small fish species that inhabits rivers in Central and South America. Its eyes are quite unusual, resembling those of a frog, protruding from the top of its head. Each eye features a horizontal black membrane that divides it into two equal parts, with the pupil and lens also split, giving the appearance of four eyes, hence the name Four-Eyed Fish.
(Image: ryanphotographic)
The Four-Eyed Fish has a very high level of alertness. Its two eyes function as if they are four, with two eyes used above the water’s surface and two eyes used underwater. When it surfaces to look for insects, the upper eyes emerge into the air, allowing light to pass through the short and wide lens. Upon spotting prey, it leaps out of the water to catch it. While swimming underwater, light enters the lens shaped like an egg, helping it detect prey, which it then pursues and captures.
The Four-Eyed Fish has a slender, elongated body with a rhomboid shape and tends to feed in schools. The water surface aligns with the membrane, positioning the upper half of its eyes in the air and the lower half underwater. This allows it to catch both insects and shrimp simultaneously. If a person is on the shore about 200 meters away, it can detect them and immediately flee. As a result, it is rarely caught.
