Get pre-loved wares for less at this store
Melbourne: Researchers have discovered a coral-eating fish that can disguise its odour to hide from predators.
The harlequin filefish that feeds on coral can also change its odour to match the coral where it shelters at night and remains undetected by predators.
“The harlequin filefish shelters among the branches of coral colonies at night, where not only does it look like a coral branch, it also smells like one, enabling it to remain undetected by nocturnal predators,” said study co-author professor Philip Munday from the James Cook University in Queensland, Australia.
“For many animals vision is less important than their sense of smell,” study lead author Rohan Brooker from the James Cook University said.
“By feeding on corals, the harlequin filefish ends up smelling enough like its food that predators have a hard time distinguishing it from the surrounding coral habitat,” Brooker added.
Not only does the filefish confuse its predators, it matches the odour of the coral so closely that small crabs, which live on coral branches, cannot distinguish it from coral, the researchers found.
The ability to chemically ‘blend in’ occurs in some plant-eating invertebrates, but this is the first time this type of camouflage has been found in higher order animals, such as fishes.
The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Get pre-loved wares for less at this store
The exhibition will be held at Taj Business Bay from 11am to 8 pm
The motorist was also fined Dh50,000 and the vehicle was impounded
The ship itself will be decked out in lights and seasonal decorations
After the tournament he aims to reflect on his Pro Journey, evaluate his performances and weigh his options for 2025
As Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah speaks for the first time after the deadly blasts, Israeli fighter jets roared over Beirut, with sonic booms shaking buildings and sending residents scrambling for cover
If favourable market conditions continue, prices could reach between $2,600 and $2,800 over the next 12 months, says expert
One stranded expat went three days without eating and survived off water at mosques