"Disco Clam" Lights Up To Scare Predators Away

Posted by samzenpus on Sunday January 4, 2015 @10:09PM from the stayin-alive dept.

sciencehabit writes When predators get close, the bright, orange-lipped "disco clam" flashes them to scare them off. But it's not just the light that's important. Researchers have found that the clam has sulfur in its fleshy lips and tentacles and suspect that, like another clam species that drop tentacles laden with sulfuric acid to deter predators, the disco clam's sulfur also gets converted into a distasteful substance. The flashing may warn predators away, similar to the bright orange of a monarch butterfly warning birds of its toxic taste.

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Useless TITLE. by Anonymous Coward · 2015-01-04 23:38 · Score: 2, Informative

Title: "DISCO CLAM" Lights up to scare predators away!

Summary: It's not really the light that scares them away.

Hey, idiot editors! Would you please post a summary that has some consistency with the title?