Audrey Velasco-Hogan / AP
This April 2019 photo provided by Audrey Velasco-Hogan shows a dragonfish during a specimen collection session along the coast of San Diego, Calif.
Wednesday, June 5, 2019 | 8:38 a.m.
NEW YORK — Scientists have discovered what makes a dragonfish's teeth transparent -- and this may help the deep-sea fish catch their food.
The dragonfish is a small predator with needle-like teeth that jut out from its mouth.
Researchers reported Wednesday that the teeth are made of the same materials as human teeth, but their microscopic structure is so different that light doesn't reflect off them. Instead, most light passes through, so the teeth are almost completely concealed.
Some other predatory deep-sea fish also have transparent teeth, so this might be a common strategy.
Their finding in the journal Matter was from dragonfish found about a third of a mile underwater off the coast of San Diego.
