The Largescale Four-Eyes (Anableps anableps) is a freshwater and brackishwater fish in the Anablepidae family of four-eyed fish.

The Largescale Four-Eyes is an elongated fish with prominent eyes. It is greyish to reddish-brown in colour. It has a paddle-shaped tail.

It does not really have four eyes. Each eye has a horizontal band of tissue that splits the skin lengthwise (horizontally) into two lobes. Each lobe has its own pupil with its own vision. Therefore, there are four pupils, not four eyes. This means that, when it lies on the surface of the water, one lobed pupil looks at the sky and the other lobed pupil looks underwater. So, it can see above and below the surface of the water at the same time.

It grows to 30 centimetres (12 inches) long.  

It is native to the tropical waters of northern South America and Trinidad. It mostly lives in estuaries, mangroves, and coastal mud-flats.

It feeds on insects, small fish, small crabs, and algae. It finds its food on the surface of the water. It also sifts food through the silted water.

The female Largescale Four-Eyes gives birth to 10-20 live young after a pregnancy of about 90 days.

Location of photographs: Aquarium de Paris-Cinéaqua

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM