Video of the Week

Humans use tools. Animals use tools. But, um, fish use tools? Apparently and surprisingly, yes.

This guy travelled a good fish-distance to find a tool (a rock), then opened a clam by hurling it against the tool. You’ve gotta see this…


Okay, so it’s not a fancy Snap-On tool. It’s a rock. But imagine what has to go through that fish head during the above process?

1. Wow. This looks like a particularly tasty clam.
2. Damn. I can’t get into it with just my fish lips.
3. Hmm. How can I get into it?
4. Ah! I’ll use a rock!
5. Damn. No rock handy. Find one, I must.
6. Say, this looks like a perfectly appropriate rock!
7. Damn. Now I have to schlep it back. Fish lips don’t fail me now.
8. I went all this distance for a rock to open a clam? This clam had better be worth it.
9. Ah! Now I’ve got it! Rock, meet clam!
10. Finally, my tasty clam snack. Mmm.

Seriously. Even the evolutionary professor who filmed it said, “It requires a lot of forward thinking.”

Next, that blackspot turkfish will have his own tool chest. And clam shop. Maybe it'll evolve to use a vise, or a hammer. Heck, he could charge other fish for the service and become the first-ever capitalist-of-the-sea. He could launch an ocean-wide clam-rock chain and have a Clam Opening Grand Opening, and…okay, I’ll stop.

Fascinating. Darwin is smiling proudly.

Posted in: General News