A recent study conducted by researchers from the University De Neuchatel in Switzerland found that certain fish use body language to communicate with each other while hunting prey.
What’s most intriguing about the finding is that the fish were cooperating with other species during the hunt. Here’s what the researchers observed…
A coral grouper would locate prey fish hiding in a reef and begin to wiggle its body with its head pointed toward the prey. This tips off the giant moray eel and Napoleon wrasse. The wrasse goes to work smashing apart the reef while the eel picks apart the cracks and crevices flushing out the prey. Once the prey flee the reef, it’s every predator for himself.
According to National Geographic: “Even with multiple parties competing for one food source, groupers are more successful in a group.
When hunting alone, groupers only catch their prey about 1 out of every 20 attempts, said study co-author Redouan Bshary. When they have help, the ratio is significantly better — about one out of seven.”
I wonder if pike and walleyes could work something out like this?