On the lens pad of Benthalbella infans, a scopelarchid deep-sea teleost

The tubular eye of scopelarchids contains a lens pad, derived from cornea, lateral to the lens and opposite a gap in the iris. The pad, transparent in life, is formed of optically dense lamellae arranged at ca. 45 degrees to the sagittal plane of the fish. The lamellae are rn. 155 nm thick, separate d by cn. 185 nm. The pad does not deviate light passing normally through th e lamellae, but does deviate light at an acute angle to the lamellae unequa lly through cn. 40 degrees, converting a spot it, a streak. Light from L-a. 20 degrees to the vertical below the fish will be projected onto the acces sory retina of the dorsally painting tubular eyes. The pad also disperses w hite light, blue light ca. 34 degrees and red light ca. 44 degrees. The dev iation of light from below may enable the fish to detect predators below: a nd the dispersion may play a role in breaking camouflage by spreading photo phore light over an area of retina.