Where Do Fish Go for Scratch Relief? Their Predators
Marine biologists have discovered that when fish are faced with the dilemma of developing an itch offshore in the open ocean, yet with no hands, plants, or animals to help them scratch it, they have a curious solution of seeking out their predators—sharks.
Viewing thousands of hours of video footage, Australian marine ecologist Chris Thompson and marine biologist Jessica Meeuwig found that fish can usually scratch their itch against rocks, corals and animals like turtles, but in their absence, they found the large surfaces of sharks to be the most suitable texture for relieving their itch.
“Shark skin is made up of small tooth-like structures called dermal denticles. It feels like sandpaper (and in pre-industrial times, it was used for that purpose), making it a particularly suitable surface against which to scratch,” co-author of the study Thompson said….