Fish in Laccadive Sea Use Tools for Prey: Study

According to a recent study (published in February), three fish species in the Laccadive Sea use live or dead coral structures as anvils to crack open sea urchin shells for food.

• Jansen’s wrasse and checkerboard wrasse exhibit tool use for the first time, while it's the first documented instance for the moon wrasse.
• While human tool sophistication sets us apart, animal tool-use is more common than previously thought.
• Observations of aquatic tool-use are challenging due to difficulty in observation and perceived intelligence levels of fish.
• The accidental discovery during a study on sea urchins highlights the importance of serendipitous ....