Wild Things: Killer Whales, Spiders, and Woodpeckers
Pack Hunters
Lions, orcas, hyenas, and certain hawks are known for their collaborative hunting techniques. Recently, researchers have added a fish to this list: the yellow saddle goatfish.
In the Red Sea, yellow saddle goatfish often congregate. When one fish begins to chase a prey fish, its associates join the hunt as “blockers.” These blockers spread out over the reef to cut off the prey’s escape routes, giving the group of goatfish a better chance at a successful catch.
This behavior was observed by researchers from the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. They suggest that this collaborative hunting strategy may have evolved in this species to allow the goatfish to exploit faster and more agile prey.
Pecking Mystery Solved
Woodpeckers can repeatedly bang their heads into trees at 15 miles per hour without harming themselves. How do they do it?
Researchers from Beihang University in Beijing used high-speed video, microscopic scanning, and 3-D models to investigate. They found that spongy spots in the woodpecker’s skull, along with tissues of different sizes in the upper and lower beak, are crucial for absorbing shock.
This research could have implications for the design of helmets and other safety gear.
Early American
Near the end of the last ice age, a group of hunters in Washington State killed a mastodon. A new study of a mastodon rib with a projectile point still embedded in it shows that the animal lived 13,800 years ago.
This is some of the oldest evidence of hunting in the New World, and it supports the theory that humans arrived in North America well before the Clovis people, who were once thought to be the first Americans.
Caught In A Lie
In nursery web spiders, males offer potential mates insects wrapped in silk. However, some males will wrap up inedible seeds instead.
When a female spider detects this deception, she will terminate mating early. This behavior was studied by Maria Albo of Aarhus University in Denmark.
Observed: Killer Whale
Killer whales, also known as orcas, are found in the Antarctic, where they feed on seals and penguins. However, a recent study has documented that some killer whales make occasional trips to the subtropical waters off Uruguay and Brazil.
These trips are too quick to be for foraging or giving birth, so researchers believe that they may be related to skin shedding. Killer whales shed their skin in warmer climates to regenerate skin tissue with less heat loss.
