Deep Sea Temptation The sex war of the black Arowana

Mondo Science Updated on 2024-01-29

In the dark deep sea, there is a fish, its name sounds domineering, but it has the body of an eel, this is the black Arowana. Despite its name, it's a "female man" who can reach up to 2 feet in size, with sharp fangs and a glowing beard on her chin, making her a deep-sea "trapper".

Interestingly, the sex difference in black arowana is quite large. Male black arowana are much smaller than females, have no tusks and whiskers, and have a much shorter lifespan, and only live long enough to reproduce their offspring. Why are females so domineering and males so "weak"?It all starts with their unique way of predating.

It turns out that the whiskers on the female Arowana's chin are not ornaments, but filled with "small light bulbs" that can emit light. They will shake their whiskers as if they were dancing in the dark, attracting their prey. When the prey is beguiled by the light and approaches, the sharp fangs come in handy, a deadly move, and the predation efficiency is very good!

Although the male black arowana does not have ornate "illuminations" and fierce fangs, they also have their own advantages, that is, they are numerous!They will surround the female Arowana in groups, and at the first opportunity, they will come forward to "show their love", and after completing the breeding task, they will retire with honor.

Therefore, the gender war of the black arowana is actually a contest of "beauty and quantity". Females feed themselves with their strong predatory abilities and cool "light shows", while males use "wheel warfare" to ensure the reproduction of their offspring. In the dark depths of the sea, they deduce a unique way of survival, and also show us the diverse and wonderful ecological balance of nature.

Black Arowana lives in the deep sea between 1,000 and 4,000 meters and is one of the few vertebrates that can produce biofluorescence.

Their mode of predation is known as "trapping" and they use bioluminescence to attract prey.

The sex difference in black Arowana is an interesting phenomenon in the biological world, exemplifying different survival strategies and evolutionary choices.

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