Japanese eels (Anguilla japonica) have the ability to escape the stomach of freshwater predatory fish (Odontobutis obscura) by swimming backwards through the esophagus and gills. Contrary to expectations, 9 out of 32 young eels successfully made their escape, before succumbing to the acidic stomach environment.
The Japanese eel population is declining, and they are currently listed as Endangered on the Red List. This study, published in the journal 'Current Biology', injected contrast agents into the eels to track their movements.
This is the first study to provide video evidence of the eels escaping the stomach of their predators. The elongated shape of the eels may have aided their escape, and further research will explore this phenomenon with other eel species and fish with similar body shapes.
The findings reveal an impressive and unique defense tactic employed by Japanese eels.
infobud.news is an AI-driven news aggregator that simplifies global news, offering customizable feeds in all languages for tailored insights into tech, finance, politics, and more. It provides precise, relevant news updates, overcoming conventional search tool limitations. Due to the diversity of news sources, it provides precise and relevant news updates, focusing entirely on the facts without influencing opinion. Read moreExpand
