Short Wave

Clownfish Might Be Counting Their Potential Enemies' Stripes


Listen Later

At least, that's what a group of researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University thinks. The team recently published a study in the journal Experimental Biology suggesting that Amphiphrion ocellaris, or clown anemonefish, may be counting. Specifically, the authors think the fish may be looking at the number of vertical white stripes on each other as well as other anemonefish as a way to identify their own species. Not only that — the researchers think that the fish are noticing the minutiae of other anemonefish's looks because of some fishy marine geopolitics.

Questions, comments or thoughts on another marine sea creature you want to hear us cover? Email us at [email protected] and we might feature it on a future episode!

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Short WaveBy NPR

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

6,199 ratings


More shows like Short Wave

View all
TED Radio Hour by NPR

TED Radio Hour

22,042 Listeners

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,993 Listeners

Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,148 Listeners

Planet Money by NPR

Planet Money

30,650 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,749 Listeners

Science Vs by Spotify Studios

Science Vs

12,201 Listeners

Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Science Friday

6,336 Listeners

Up First from NPR by NPR

Up First from NPR

56,419 Listeners

The Indicator from Planet Money by NPR

The Indicator from Planet Money

9,508 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,249 Listeners

Life Kit: Health by NPR

Life Kit: Health

417 Listeners

Life Kit by NPR

Life Kit

4,485 Listeners

Consider This from NPR by NPR

Consider This from NPR

6,379 Listeners

Unexplainable by Vox

Unexplainable

2,293 Listeners

The Economics of Everyday Things by Freakonomics Network & Zachary Crockett

The Economics of Everyday Things

1,658 Listeners