Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have a found a warm blooded species of fish. The Moonfish or Opah resides hundreds of feet beneath the ocean floor, where almost no sunlight penetrates hence water experiences quite low temperature. Research then showed that this fish could maintain a body temperature five degrees higher than its environment.

Like Us on Facebook

In an interview with LaCrosseTribune.com Heidi Dewar, a fisheries research biologist expressed her elation at this discovery and termed the prospect of working on it as a once in lifetime opportunity.

Gills specialist at the institute Nicholas Wegner later cited the exact reason for this ability being the presence of Retia Mirabilia in the fish's body. These thick wonderful nets facilitate the exchange of heat between the warm blood that traversed the body and the cold blood that just passed through the gills of the fish.

Moreover, even though these nets are present in other species of the fish, but since this transfer occurs right at the gills in Opah it leads to the warming of its entire body as opposed to that of only a specific part in those other species.

Moreover, researchers seem to believe that the this creation of heat is mainly due to the metabolic activity that happens as a result of the constant flipping of its pectoral fins, which the moonfish uses to swim.

Reports by BBC suggest that being warm blooded helps this fish see, think and respond better especially whilst chasing its favorite prey, Squid. Subsequent to this discovery researchers are now searching for the closest relative of Opah. They have mainly concentrated their research on fish who reside in the higher latitudes where the temperature of water is even lower.

TagsNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration news, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updates, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fish, fish National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, new fish National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Moonfish, Moonfish news, Moonfish updates, Moonfish discovered, opah, opah discovered, opah fish, opah fish news