Sometimes dubbed the “anti-aircraft gunners” of the aquatic world, the archerfish has evolved such unerring eyesight and precise control that it can shoot down flying insects it feeds on by spitting out a jet of water from a distance of several feet.
April 24, 2022, 6:48 PM UTCAmid the many methods that animals have devised for hunting their prey — the sticky webs that spiders use to catch insects or the fake tasty morsel some turtles display in their mouths — the shooting technique of archerfish stands out.
Just how archerfish could have evolved such a bizarre trait, however, has long puzzled scientists. A new study suggests it’s been developed from jets their ancestors used underwater to clear away sediments in their search for anything edible.Archerfish.“We knew about this behavior, the spitting mechanism,” said Matthew Girard, an ichthyologist at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington who began the research while studying for a doctorate at the University of Kansas.
Girard noted that there has been debate for almost 100 years as to whether the archerfish’s precise water jet is caused by such a blowpipe structure or whether it’s caused by a “pressure tank” structure in the mouths of the fish — and the new research argues for the blowpipe hypothesis. It now seems archerfish may have developed their shooting abilities by evolving the existing structures in their mouths, perhaps originally to generate a jet of water that they used to clear away sediment from edible organisms on a lake or riverbed — a technique they still use today.
Miriam Ashley-Ross, a professor of biology at Wake Forest University, has studied the behavior of archerfish but wasn’t involved in the latest research.
Norge Siste Nytt, Norge Overskrifter
Similar News:Du kan også lese nyheter som ligner på denne som vi har samlet inn fra andre nyhetskilder.
DeSantis signs district maps and anti-Disney bill into law in legislative frenzyFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed three landmark bills into law Friday that are sure to please his GOP base while inviting legal challenges from political opponents.
Les mer »
Thousands of farmers stage anti-tax protest in Argentine capitalThousands of Argentine farmers protested in Buenos Aires on Saturday against President Alberto Fernandez, whose policies to contain food prices to curb rampant inflation have been criticized by the agricultural sector.
Les mer »
DeSantis Signs Anti-CRT Legislation in Florida: We Believe in EducationFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed legislation combatting CRT, declaring that 'We believe in education, not indoctrination.'
Les mer »
O.C. man accused of anti-LGBTQ threats to bomb Merriam-Webster over definition of 'girl'In October, the company received a number of threatening messages and comments, and closed its offices for about five days, prosecutors said.
Les mer »
Federal government spent $22M studying invisibility cloaks, anti-gravity, and moon tunnelThe federal government has spent years investing millions into funding research projects straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Les mer »
Californian Charged With Making Violent, Anti-Trans Threats Against Merriam-WebsterThe man was accused of posting anti-trans messages and making violent threats in comments under the dictionary website’s definition for “female.”
Les mer »