Diver Snaps First Photo of Fish Using Tools

Posted by timothy on Sunday July 10, 2011 @03:02AM from the wake-me-when-they-enter-asynchronous-trade dept.

sciencehabit writes with this excerpt from Science: "While exploring Australia's Great Barrier Reef, professional diver Scott Gardner heard an odd cracking sound and swam over to investigate. What he found was a footlong blackspot tuskfish holding a clam in its mouth and whacking it against a rock. Soon the shell gave way, and the fish gobbled up the bivalve, spat out the shell fragments, and swam off. Fortunately, Gardner had a camera handy and snapped what seem to be the first photographs of a wild fish using a tool." (Not everyone agrees that this constitutes tool use, says the article, in part because the "tool" isn't something that the fish can actually manipulate.)

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Re:obligatory comment by Yaur · 2011-07-10 03:14 · Score: 2, Insightful

The cephalopods are the overlords, the fish are just their minions.
I don't get it... by sirwired · 2011-07-10 03:45 · Score: 4, Insightful

A fish beat the crap out of a clam by hitting it against a rock? I'm not quite sure this qualifies as "tool" use. Now, grabbing the rock, and beating clam with it, or using it to pry open the clam... that would sound more "tool-like."
1. Re:I don't get it... by c6gunner · 2011-07-10 04:59 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  It makes a difference. If we accept that acting against the natural environment qualifies as tool-use, then walking is an example of tool use, since you're using the ground in order to propel yourself. If your definition of tool use is that broad, you end up with all kinds of absurdities.