23 July 2004

Lobster eyes

Editor,

Being from New England I am familiar with lobsters. But while looking at a recent book on lobsters, I was really surprised.  

It seems that the eyes of lobsters, as well as some shrimp, do not use lenses. In place of lenses they use very precise square boxes coated with highly reflective surfaces are able to that focus light rays on the retina.   

There is a  proposal  to use this effect  to produce a x ray telescope.   

A google search on lobster eyes will bring up various explanations of this effect. 

Allan Rydberg

Lobster eyes

Dear friends,

I've still been communicating with colleagues about my winter flounder population study.

I mentioned a year ago in Field Notes that I'd like to do a study of winter flounder populations in Long Island bays

I thought flounders might have been relying on different food. They were then feeding on grass shrimp rather than polychaete worms.

I think my ideas got across. A doctor in Amagansette, Long Island, had begun a hatchery and aquaculture project. He was able to raise and release winter flounders and reports they are alive in the Eastern end.

James Farr

Here are James Farr's previous articles in The Citizen Scientist on the winter flounder:

After the Drought on Long Island, 25 October 2002.

Continuous Sampling of a Bay Bottom to Determine Flatfish Standing Crop: A Proposed Study, 4 April 2003.

Progress Report: Flatfish Study of Patchogue Bay Long Island, N.Y., 23 May 2003.