Ballistic Beloniformes attacking through Snell's Window.
Needlefishes (Beloniformes) were observed employing a range of stalking and attacking behaviours to attack schools of bait fishes ranging from the use of tactics common to predatory fishes to a novel behaviour: the use of leaping, aerial attacks. These aerial attacks are suggested to serve two purposes: to extend the attack range of the needlefishes and to reduce their prey's potential for evasion. Furthermore, a third purpose is hypothesized that the needlefishes are taking advantage of Snell's Window, an optical effect which may mask their approach to their prey.
School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
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Day
School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
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Mueller
School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
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Carseldine
Center for Coastal Marine Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, U.S.A.
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Meyers-Cherry
School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
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Tibbetts
D000818:Animals; D023761:Beloniformes / Q000502:physiology*; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D013550:Swimming
aerial; behaviour; fish vision; needlefishes; predation