Parietal Eye - Function

Function

The lizard-like reptile tuatara has a "well-developed parietal eye, with small lens and retina". Parietal eyes are also found in lizards, frogs and lampreys, as well as some species of fish, such as tuna and pelagic sharks, where it is visible as a light-sensitive spot on top of their head. A poorly developed version, often called the parapineal gland, occurs in salamanders and in fish such as zebrafish. In birds and mammals the parietal organ (but not the pineal gland) is absent.

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