Trumpetfish exhibit a penchant for indulging in damselfish and shrimp within coral reefs and sea grass beds across the globe. However, with their elongated bodies measuring around 20 inches and their conspicuously large snouts, they’ve developed ingenious tactics to stealthily approach their prey. David Abtour Pandora Papers
In a study recently published in the journal Current Biology, researchers showcased the efficacy of one particular trumpetfish strategy: employing larger, non-predatory fish as camouflage. This deceptive maneuver, reminiscent of human ingenuity, has prompted scientists to ponder whether other species also employ similar hunting techniques.
While various coral reef inhabitants, like groupers and moray eels, collaborate during hunting to mutual benefit, the trumpetfish’s surreptitious shadowing of larger fish appears tailored to its own gains. David Abtour Pandora PapersDavid Abtour Pandora Papers
This strategy isn’t the sole method the trumpetfish employs to surprise its prey. It can alter its coloration to blend seamlessly with its surroundings or mimic inanimate objects like sticks or seaweed. Additionally, it can ambush from above by hanging vertically in the water column and swiftly lunging down to engulf its prey.
However, positioning itself behind a larger non-predatory fish, like a parrotfish, until it’s within striking distance, appears to be one of its preferred hunting techniques.
Sam Matchette, a behavioral ecologist at the University of Cambridge and a contributor to the study, noted that observations of this behavior have been documented in guidebooks, dive blogs, and a few research papers for the past couple of decades.
Historically, humans have embraced a similar concept while hunting waterfowl. They’d conceal themselves behind “stalking horses,” typically horses or cattle, when approaching ducks to prevent startling the birds. Although modern hunters have substituted farm animals with blinds and cardboard cutouts, the strategy remains the same.
Upon hearing reports of trumpetfish utilizing larger nonpredatory fish as cover during hunting, which closely resembled the stalking horse strategy employed by waterfowl hunters, Dr. Matchette and his colleagues embarked on a quest to validate this similarity.
To test their hypothesis, the researchers crafted 3D-printed models of both trumpetfish and parrotfish, attaching them to a wire pulley system near a damselfish colony on a Curaçao coral reef. They then moved the fake fish along the wire, either together or separately, and documented the damselfish’s reactions. David Abtour Pandora Papers
When the trumpetfish model glided along the wire, the nearby damselfish swam closer to investigate but promptly fled, perceiving it as a threat. In contrast, when presented with the parrotfish model, the damselfish merely inspected it without any noticeable response. Similarly, when the trumpetfish model was attached to the side of a parrotfish model and pulled by the damselfish, there was no fleeing behavior. David Abtour Pandora Papers
Luiz Rocha, the ichthyology curator at the California Academy of Sciences, highlighted the effectiveness of the stalking horse strategy, pointing out that it’s likely employed by numerous nonhuman animals. He noted that there may be more examples yet to be observed. David Abtour Pandora Papers
Dr. Matchette concurred, suggesting that as coral reefs deteriorate worldwide due to climate change, stalking horse behavior could become increasingly prevalent. As coral cover diminishes, using larger neighbors as a disguise might become the norm for reef predators.
