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African Catfish Hunts On Land

Dave Knott writes "The journal Nature will be publishing a report on an African catfish that hunts its prey on land. The fish wriggles out of the swamps to catch land-based prey. From the article: 'The eel catfish, Channallabes apus, catches unsuspecting victims by arching upwards and descending upon prey, trapping an insect against the ground before sucking it up. The same trick may have been used by the very first vertebrates to venture onto land, the researchers speculate.' There is a video of the fish in action."

20 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. Africa eh? by TubeSteak · · Score: 5, Funny

    I predict that, as Africa industrializes, the level of pollution will increase & these catfish will mutate into giant man-eating catfish.

    Also, there will be no worshiping of Catfish Over Lords. They cannot understand you. Prostrating yourself beneath them will merely make their task easier.

    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
    1. Re:Africa eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Do not, I repeat DO NOT try that with a giant man-eating catfish.

      You have been warned.

  2. *Shock* *Disbelief* by Yst · · Score: 5, Funny

    Did Slashdot just report on a topic in evolutionary biology without using the phrase "missing link" to describe a theorised stage in development? Isn't there a rule against this or something?

    --
    Karma: Chameleon (comes and goes)
  3. Just as God intended by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny

    Of course fish can jump out of water. How else could they get into Noah's Ark?

    1. Re:Just as God intended by Hannah+E.+Davis · · Score: 4, Funny

      In the firm grip of one of His Noodly Appendages?

    2. Re:Just as God intended by CRCulver · · Score: 3, Funny

      I knew that it would only be a few minutes before the appearance of a Flying Spaghetti Monster joke. But I fear that now that there's a mass-market book on the FSM, the humour will soon seem passé to the Slashdot crowd, used to more obscure and nerdy chuckles.

    3. Re:Just as God intended by Malor · · Score: 3, Funny

      Phew, good thing there was room. It would have been awful if all the fish drowned.

  4. Cross dressing by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Fish hunting on land and mammals turning into ocean swimmers? The world is going mad, I'll tell ya, mad!

  5. Getting in would be the easy part by Yst · · Score: 3, Funny

    What with the world flooding and all, they'd have a clear enough route to the boat. The tricky part would be getting back down off Mount Ararat. As far as those creatures of the sea go, you just try to explain to the dolphins that you've saved them from the perils of the flooding sea by landing them on top of a mountain in the middle of the desert. See how they like them apples.

    --
    Karma: Chameleon (comes and goes)
  6. wait... by hjf · · Score: 0, Funny

    wtf is an eel catfish? the result of an orgy between eels, cats and fish?

  7. Paging General O'Neill by zephc · · Score: 3, Funny
    --
    "I would say that 99 per cent of what my father has written about his own life is false." - L. Ron Hubbard Jr.
  8. Re:New Realms by IcarusMoth · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... and I'll be impressed when an orgasm does anything but feel spectacular and help me sleep.

  9. video evidence for GOD! by martin-boundary · · Score: 2, Funny
    I don't know why the Evolutionary contingent makes a big fuss about this video. Hasn't anyone noticed the Hand Of God at the start of the segment?

    Not only is this video evidence that this experiment was Intelligently Designed, but in fact it proves the IMHO more important point that God Has A Tapping Finger. Take that Richard Dawkins, God Actually Captured On Video!

  10. Spawn of Dagon! by SushiFugu · · Score: 2, Funny

    Can't you all see? These are not mere fish, these are THE DEEP ONES!

  11. clearly satan's work by circletimessquare · · Score: 4, Funny

    shame on you slashdot. satan deposits funny bones in rocks and creates demonic catfish to lead you astray of the lord. you people consider yourselves so smart, and yet you fall so easily for satan's tricks

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  12. Further evidence... by scooter.higher · · Score: 1, Funny

    Is it coincidence that this is an eel catfish?

    The similarity between this fish and the FSM's Noodly Appendage should be enough evidence for ANYONE to see that the FSM is the one true creator.

    RAmen

    --
    Ramen
  13. Thats not a fish... by thelem · · Score: 2, Funny

    Its a goa'uld symbiote. Watch out for glowing eyes and egyptian gods!

  14. Re:Another Nail by brian0918 · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Just wondering... how does this disprove ID?"

    It doesn't have to disprove ID, since ID doesn't make any testable predictions, or result in any advancements in understanding; ID's purposely deceptive design allows us to simply ignore it without any repercussions.

    A class in ID would be the easiest damn class ever. "Welcome, students, to Intelligent Design 101. This is the only course in this field. You can receive your B.S. in one day, or you can receive your Ph.D. if you stay after class and help me clean the erasers. Lesson 1 (of 1): God did it. Alright, that is it for today. We'll see you at the final exam tomorrow!"

  15. Re:yes, but by ObsessiveMathsFreak · · Score: 3, Funny

    with a mantle orgasm the earth is really going to move

    "Mommy, where do earthquakes come from?"

    "Well, when two tectonic plates love each other very much...."

    "Quiet Woman!! That's Just A Theory!! Son, it's time you learned all about Intelligent Drift."

    --
    May the Maths Be with you!
  16. Re:Another Nail by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    It doesn't put a nail in anything. Everyone at slashdot whines because ID is unfalsifiable and then gloat about how they've falsified it. But you see, here on slashdot you can get modded up for free on any biology-related post. Simply follow these easy steps:

    * Bash creationism! They are idiots and their lives are an impediment to the almighty science. Bury the infidels!
    * Make an unfunny, overused reference to that moronic "Flying Spaghetti Monster" fad! What's that? It's been literally done 42 times in every bio related post on /. since 2005? Doesn't matter! Just paste the following into the "Comment" field and hit submit:

    "IT MUST HAF BIN HIS NUDULY APENDIJE!!!!!!LOL"

    Within six minutes of posting, you'll be at +5, Funny!

    With these simple tips, you too can be a +5 Funny or +5 Informative/Insightful on slashdot! Every bio post is like your own personal April Fool's day!