Sea robins can taste with their feet

September 27, 2024 10:36 PM

Sea robins have "the body of a fish, wings of a bird, legs of a crab." They can also taste with their "feet." Imagine wading in the shallows at the beach and tasting mussels and clams hidden under the sand — with your feet. A new study shows a fish species evolved to do just that.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (3 comments total)

Oh this is wonderful! And reminds me of how raccoons have evolved similarly in order to find food by feeling for it in mud,

But what they’re doing when they wet and rub an object is “seeing” it; it’s thought that water contact increases a raccoon’s tactile ability. When a raccoon wets and handles a crayfish, stone, worm, or clam, he’s gathering information: nearly two thirds of the sensory data that he’s processing comes from cells that interpret various types of touch sensation. In other words, touch is as important a sense as hearing, smell, and sight.
posted by Zumbador at 10:44 PM on September 27

the coolest, weirdest fish I'd ever seen

yes
posted by HearHere at 12:45 AM on September 28

Imagine wading in the shallows at the beach and tasting mussels and clams hidden under the sand stepping in Seagull poo.
posted by uncle harold at 1:54 AM on September 28