I read in school that prey have eyes on the sides of the head (sheep, cows, etc) to spot predators coming whereas predators have eyes on the front. Is this rule not applicable to marine biology?
In: Biology
Front-facing eyes are good for seeing in 3d and estimating distance. A lot of predators don’t hunt primarily by vision.
Sharks have an excellent sense of smell as well as their Lorenzo’s sense for detecting bio-electric signatures. Most fish also have senses along the length of their body to detect movement in the water.
In fact, sharks actually roll their eyes back into their head to protect them when they pounce for a bite.
Lots of predators don’t rely on eyesight at all. A lot of nocturnal hunters hunt by scent and sound like hedgehogs. Invertebrate hunters often have complex senses for detecting all kinds of chemical signatures as well as vibrations in the air and ground. Bats and whales can perceive extremely accurate ‘pictures’ of their environment and prey through echolocation.
Stereoscopic vision is just one method.
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