Meet the Rockhead Poacher, a Possible Blueprint for Underwater Tech

Its “scooped-out” skull may work like a built-in sensor and instrument, and scientists think it could inspire new ways to communicate and detect motion underwater.

The Fish With a “Scooped-Out” Skull

The Rockhead Poacher is a mystery to scientists. Found along the rocky coast of Washington state, the small, strange-looking fish has characteristics unlike any other species. The most unusual feature of this fish is a hollow, shaped like a bowl, in the middle of its head.

Daniel Geldof, a researcher at Louisiana State University, was quoted as saying, “It looks like the fish has a large chunk of its skull missing – as though somebody took a little ice cream scoop and took a piece of it away.” Geldof added that the Rockhead Poacher is so unusual since this is unheard of in other vertebrate species.

Ichthyologists are zoologists who study fish species, focusing on species classification, anatomy, evolution, behavior, and ecology.For many years, these researchers have been puzzled about the purpose of the hollow shape.

Why Would a Fish Evolve a Bowl in Its Head?