Question #2957. Asked by AW.
Last updated Aug 24 2016.
Barbara
Answer has 16 votes
Barbara
Answer has 16 votes.
A shark is the only fish that can blink.
May 31 2000, 8:21 PM
zbeckabee
Answer has 17 votes
Currently Best Answer
zbeckabee Moderator 19 year member
11752 replies
Answer has 17 votes.
Currently voted the best answer.
General consensus is that the shark (most -- not all types) is the only fish that blinks, however:
Sharks don't blink in the way that we are used to. They have upper and lower eyelids, but these lids don't move and don't close over the eye. When biting prey, some sharks protect their eyes with a third eyelid called the nictitating membrane.
Not all sharks have eye protection called nictitating membranes. Of the 453 shark species worldwide, there are about 15 species that lack this eye protection.
Some species in New England coastal waters without a nictitating membrane are: the white, shortfin mako, porbeagle, thresher, sand tiger, dogfish, and basking shark.