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  • ⚲ Search

Tuna Use Sharks as Back Scratchers

In the open ocean, life is a struggle for survival, and threats come in many forms, from predators to parasites. While close interactions between species, which benefit both individuals, have been recorded, those among oceanic dwellers remain mysterious. But now, researchers have found that some of the large pelagic fish use sharks to scrape off their parasites.

School of tuna
Ecology & Science

This groundbreaking research documents the behaviour in several oceanic fish species spanning three oceans. It describes the first recorded instances of fish using sharks and other fish to brush and scrape against, with the goal of freeing themselves of parasites.

Newly Described Species of Moray Eel Prefers Dark, Murky Environments

A new species of moray eel that lurks in the murky river mouths of the Indo-Pacific is now in the spotlight, thanks to a paper that formally describes it in the Zookeys journal. 

Ecology & Science

The Hades’ snake moray (Uropterygius hades) is a slender, dark brown eel which stands out for its unique adaptations to and preference for dim, turbid environments.

Unlike most of its marine relatives, which thrive in coral reefs, it is at home in estuarine habitats, a characteristic that is unusual among the 230 known species of moray eels. It is distributed across the Central Indo-Pacific, and has been found in southern Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, southern Java, and Fiji.

Outsmarting the Predator: Sardines vs Marlin

A study examines how sardines collectively evade their predators and how their predators adapt to outsmart them.

Ecology & Science

In a recent study, researchers investigated how sardines that find themselves on a predator's radar collectively employ collective evasive manoeuvres and how their predators respond to outsmart them.

Using computational modelling and aerial video footage, the team from the Cluster of Excellence “Science of Intelligence” (SCIol), the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, and Cambridge University focussed on the predator-prey behaviour of striped marlins and sardine shoals in the open ocean. 

Fish Embryos Decide When to Hatch

A study has uncovered the process by which fish embryos actively determine the timing of their hatching.

Ecology & Science

When it comes to making its grand entrance into the world, fish embryos do not leave things to chance.

Researchers, led by Dr. Matan Golan of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Agricultural Research Organization-Volcani Institute, have discovered that the hatching process of fish embryos is not a passive process. 

Fishing Is Causing Fish To Flee When They Should Mate

Human activity such as fishing can disrupt the natural behaviour of marine animals, forcing them to prioritise survival over reproduction. In a study led by Lancaster University, researchers examined how fishing pressure changed the behaviour of male squaretail groupers in the Lakshadweep archipelago in India.

Squaretail coral grouper (Plectropomus areolatus)
Ecology & Science

Several times a year, squaretail groupers gather at spawning aggregation sites to mate, typically around the new and full moons between December and March. The males show up several days before to establish their territories, while the females arrive a day before the new moon. Then, both groups will attempt to pair and spawn in synchrony with the moon’s cycles.

For this species, these brief encounters are their only opportunities to reproduce.

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

The Beautiful & Elusive Pygmy Angelfish

The shy and enigmatic pygmy angelfish is found on coral and rocky reefs, primarily in the Indo-Pacific region, but a few species can also be found in the western Atlantic. Nigel Marsh takes a closer look at this elusive family of fish.

Words:
Nigel Marsh
Images:
Nigel Marsh
Bicolor angelfish. Photo by Nigel Marsh.
➥ Download the full article as pdf ⬅︎
Ecology & Science

It had already been a wonderful dive when I suddenly spotted a group of small yellow fish a few metres away. Always on the lookout for rare and unusual fish, I got very excited when I realised the small yellow fish were Herald’s angelfish. I slowly crept forward, hoping the fish would stay in the open. Unfortunately, the shy fish disappeared into a crevice before I could get within camera range. I decided to wait and see if they would reappear, and today was my lucky day, as one fish emerged, posed perfectly for my camera and then vanished again.

Can Clownfish Count?

To discern friend from foe, clownfish count stripes. A recent study found that common clownfish displayed aggressive behaviour predominantly towards members of their own species with three white bands, engaging in confrontations lasting several seconds. In contrast, intruders of other species faced milder aggression.

Ecology & Science

Clownfish, also known as anemonefish, are feisty critters that vigorously defend their anemone homes from intruders, particularly those of their own species, displaying aggressive behaviour. Anemonefish species living in the same areas exhibit a variety of stripe patterns, ranging from three vertical bars to none, as observed by Kina Hayashi from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan.

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

A Matter of Sentience

Fish feel pain, or don’t they? Despite a growing body of sound evidence that fish do indeed feel pain and are sentient beings capable of all the types of cognition found in the “higher” mammals, with the possible sole exception of the ability to imitate, a group of critics seems to systematically seek to discredit this research. But for what reasons? Ila France Porcher takes a closer look at the stakes involved.

Words:
Ila France Porcher
Images:
Peter Symes
Download the full article as pdf ⬇︎
Ecology & Science

It was in 2003 that Dr Lynne Sneddon of the University of Liverpool found through rigorous scientific research that fish are sensitive to pain and suffer. In the years since then, many other researchers around the world have confirmed her findings and expanded on them.

Electric Eels Can Genetically Modify Cells of Nearby Animals

Electric eels have the ability to induce genetic modifications in small fish larvae through electroporation, according to a study.

An electric eel in a tank
Ecology & Science

In a recent study, researchers from Nagoya University in Japan have demonstrated that electric eels can release electricity potent enough to induce genetic modifications in small fish larvae. 

This ground-breaking study challenges the conventional belief that electroporation, a gene delivery technique in which an electric field is generated to create temporary pores in cell membranes to enable the entry of molecules like DNA or proteins into the  cells, is confined to laboratory settings.

The Houting's Remarkable Return: Not Extinct After All

The houting, a fish species that lived in North Sea estuaries and was previously categorized as 'extinct' on the IUCN Red List of Species turns out to be alive and well.

 

In 2023, DNA analysis found the houting to be genetically indistinguishable from Coregonus lavaretus, the common European Whitefish,and therefore not extinct.
Ecology & Science

The Houting fish, believed to have vanished from our waters, has made an unexpected return. Previously listed as 'extinct' on the IUCN Red List of Species, recent research has unveiled that this fish is not only thriving but is also not a distinct species as once thought.

The initial classification of its extinction was centred on morphological differences, especially the number of gill rakers. However, a detailed study published on bmcecolevol.biomedcentral.com contradicts this.

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Reviews

Books & Media

Reefs of Time

In Reefs of Time, geoscientist and science educator Lisa S. Gardiner offers a compelling and accessible exploration of how fossil coral reefs can inform our understanding of the threats facing reefs today. 

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Review
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Scuba Diving Operational Risk Management

An SAS approach to principles, techniques and application in recreational and technical diving.

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Review
Books
Books & Media

Marine Life of the North Sea and English Channel

Lawson Wood’s Marine Life of the North Sea and English Channel is an extensive guide dedicated to the exploration and understanding of the diverse marine ecosystems found between the British Isles and the coasts of northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and southern Sweden.

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Review
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Lawson Wood
Books & Media

Yes, Fish Feel Pain

A thought-provoking examination of fish sentience, behaviour and the growing scientific debate surrounding pain perception in aquatic animals.

Yes, Fish Feel Pain
Works by Our Contributors
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Ila France Porcher
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Compiled by an international network of top dive editors and world-class underwater photographers, X-RAY MAG is the planet's only truly global premier dive lifestyle magazine. Subscription and downloads are free. Published since 2003.

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