The Color of Deep-Sea Animals

Authors

C. C. NuttingFollow

Document Type

Research

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explain the phenomena of bright colors among marine animals living in the sea beyond the depths to which sunlight can be supposed to penetrate to such an extent as to render bright colors visible. Although there are doubtless actinic effects of sunlight at considerable depths, we are safe, I think, in saying that colors cannot be clearly distinguished at a depth greater than 100 fathoms. Photographic experiments show that the "extreme limit of effect of the sun's rays on sensitive plates is at a depth of 250 metres,” or less than 125 fathoms. As to the facts concerning coloration of deep-sea animals —and the deep sea may be considered from our standpoint as any depth below 100 fathoms—all our information leads to the conclusion that the phenomena of bright colors are present in all groups.

Publication Date

1898

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Sciences

Volume

6

Issue

1

First Page

27

Last Page

36

Copyright

©1898 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Nutting, C. C. (1898) "The Color of Deep-Sea Animals," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 6(1), 27-36.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol6/iss1/5