Motion Camouflage: Trumpetfish’s Unique Hunting Strategy Revealed by Bristol Scientists

Motion Camouflage: Trumpetfish’s Unique Hunting Strategy Revealed by Bristol Scientists

(IN BRIEF) University of Bristol researchers have discovered a unique hunting behavior in trumpetfish. They found that these fish use “motion camouflage” by swimming closely behind non-threatening fish, like parrotfish, to approach their prey undetected. This is the first evidence of one non-human animal using another for concealment. The study highlights how this behavior may help animals adapt to environmental changes and improve hunting success. The research was conducted in the Caribbean Sea and published in the journal Current Biology. The study was funded by The Whitten Programme in Tropical and Aquatic Biology, The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour, and The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

(PRESS RELEASE) BRISTOL, 8-Aug-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — A groundbreaking study, that involves collaborators at the University of Bristol, reveals the trumpetfish’s unique hunting technique of motion camouflage. This stealthy behavior involves the trumpetfish closely swimming behind non-threatening fish, like parrotfish, to approach its prey undetected.

During the experiment conducted in the Caribbean Sea, hand-painted model fish were used to test the damselfish’s responses. The damselfish reacted defensively when the trumpetfish model moved past alone but showed significantly less reaction when a model of a herbivorous parrotfish moved alone. Astonishingly, when the trumpetfish model was attached to the side of the parrotfish model, mimicking the shadowing behavior, the damselfish remained unaware of the predatory threat.

This is the first time such behavior has been documented in the animal kingdom, where one non-human species uses another for concealment. The researchers believe that this hunting strategy may help animals adapt to environmental changes, as it allows them to improve hunting success and escape detection.

The study, conducted in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, is published in the journal Current Biology. Funding for the research was provided by The Whitten Programme in Tropical and Aquatic Biology, The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour, and The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

View the research video: Stealth swimmers: the fish that hide behind others to hunt.

Reference: Matchette, S.R. et al.: ‘Predatory trumpetfish conceal themselves from their prey by swimming alongside other fish.’ Current Biology, June 2023.

Media contacts:

Email: press-office@bristol.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Bristol