Ancient fish that eats inside cavity of dead animal with its skin, gills
March 6th, 2011 - 3:56 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Mar 6 (ANI): University of British Columbia researchers have found that an ancient species of fish called Hagfish burrows into the body cavity of the dead or dying animal to eat not only with its mouth, but also with its skin and gills.
“Their most striking feature, besides the ability to exude thick, gel-like slime in copious amounts when disturbed, is the whisker-like appendages around their mouths that they use to explore the environment,” Live Science quoted study researcher Carol Bucking as saying.
Using skin and gill tissue taken from hagfish caught near Vancouver Island, the researchers tested the tissues’ absorption of two amino acids.
“We wanted to start with a simple dissolved organic nutrient, and given the fact that the food source is a large decaying pile of protein, an amino acid seemed to be the best place to start,” said lead researcher Chris Glover, of the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.
Results showed that specific molecular mechanisms exist within the hagfish tissues to move these amino acids into their bodies.
This additional ability to absorb nutrients may be an adaptation to help hagfish make the most of infrequent meals on carcasses that also attract other hungry scavengers, Glover said.
“A quick and simple calculation suggests that the skin in particular may be capable of absorbing nutrients at levels equivalent to that of the digestive tract!” Glover wrote. (ANI)
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