New research shows that archerfish can adjust the shape of their mouths to optimize the size and weight of the drop they use to knock tasty insects into the water for dinner. (Photo credit: Ingo Rischawy, Schuster lab, University of Bayreuth)
Archerfish use jets of water to shoot down insects for dinner, but new research shows they are more skilled at this than previously thought.
Researchers trained archerfish to hit targets ranging in height from 20 to 60 centimeters from a precise location, and monitored how they produce the jet. They found that the fish adjust the shape of their mouth to ensure that a thick drop of water forms in the jet just before it hits the target.
The finding shows that humans are not unique in their ability to effectively use projectiles, and could offer insights for humans designing nozzles for medical devices or other technology.
Theoriginal research paper was published in the journal Scientific Reports on September 4, 2014, and is available upon request.
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