These 100-year-old flounder photos look like abstract design studies
A collection of 100-year-old photographs of flounders showcases their adaptive camouflage abilities. Taken by zoologist Francis Bertody Sumner, the images document how flounders change color and pattern against contrasting backgrounds. The black and white photos have a modern, abstract quality that highlights the fish's unique adaptations.
- ▪The photographs were part of a study published in 1911 by zoologist Francis Bertody Sumner.
- ▪Sumner observed how flounders adapted their appearance to blend into various artificial backgrounds.
- ▪Among the species studied, Rhomboidichthys podas exhibited particularly strong camouflage abilities.
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These 100-year-old flounder photos look like abstract design studies Popkin 12:22 pm Mon May 18, 2026 These images of flounders come from an early 20th-century study published in 1911 in the Journal of Experimental Zoology by American zoologist Francis Bertody Sumner. Working between research stations in Naples, Italy, and Woods Hole, US, he tested how flounders adapt their appearance when placed on sharply contrasting, artificial-looking backgrounds designed to challenge their camouflage. Sumner photographed the fish as they gradually shifted color and pattern to blend into each new setting, documenting the process as it unfolded. Among the species he observed, Rhomboidichthys podas showed particularly strong adaptive camouflage compared to the others.
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