Deep sleep protected with mucus

2010/11/18 Aulestiarte Lete, Izaro - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Biologia
• Zoologia

They surprise the defensive tactics of some fish living in coral reefs. An example is that of the parrot fish (Clorurus sordidus), which at night, once the place of sleep has been selected, secretes a viscous mucus with which it surrounds its entire body to protect it.

It takes about an hour to form with your mucus this cover. However, it only employs 2% of the total energy it spends a day and is an effective defensive tactic.

Researchers at the University of Queensland have found that fish scales serve to protect themselves from the attack of small crustaceans who bite and absorb their blood. In a recent experiment, they managed to expel the parrot fish from their cover, without waking up, by means of gentle impulses. They spent more than four hours overnight without protection and 95% of those fish were attacked by crustaceans, while 10% of those who were protected by mucus only did so.

Image: Image: A. A. University of Grutter/Queensland.