Marine animals have evolved specialized vision systems to see effectively underwater:
- Fish: Many have adapted to see blues and greens more clearly, as these colors penetrate water deeper
- Deep-sea creatures: Often have highly sensitive monochromatic vision optimized for dim light
- Shallow-water fish: Can often see a broader spectrum, including some UV light
Some marine animals, like mantis shrimp, have incredibly complex vision systems that can detect 12 color channels (compared to humans’ 3), as well as UV light and polarized light. These adaptations help them navigate, find food, and communicate with other species in their underwater environment.