上世紀(jì)80年代，獅子魚被引入大西洋,，太平洋紅獅子魚（Pterois volitans）吞噬了加勒比海本地和大西洋西部的珊瑚礁魚類，從而使它們的豐度減少了90%,。
美國俄勒岡州立大學(xué)的海洋生物學(xué)家Mark A. Albins和同事在本周出版的《海洋生態(tài)進展系列》（Marine Ecology Progress Series）雜志上報告稱,，獅子魚成功的秘訣之一便是它們在其他魚類掠食者中前所未聞的捕食策略——在靠近獵物的時候向后者噴射水流以迷惑它們。
這些噴出的水流打擊了目標(biāo)的側(cè)線,，這是一條魚的神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)的一部分,，用來探測接近的對象的震動和溫度。
獵物的結(jié)局通常都是面對饑餓的獅子魚,，這增加了其遭受迎頭痛擊的可能性,，并減少了獅子魚被自身的棘狀突起卡住的危險性。
研究人員最早在觀察棲息在巴哈馬群島附近的獅子魚時發(fā)現(xiàn)了這些行為,。在他們觀察的生活在大西洋的獅子魚中,，只有18%會噴射水流；而生活在太平洋的獅子魚則有一半會采用這一策略,。
研究人員認(rèn)為,，這是因為對于獅子魚來說，生活在大西洋中的獵物更容易捕捉,，而不用求助于這一獨門絕技,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.3354/meps09580
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Invasive red lionfish Pterois volitans blow directed jets of water at prey fish
Mark A. Albins
Field and laboratory observations of feeding by invasive Pacific red lionfish Pterois voli- tans were conducted during June through August of 2008, 2009 and 2010 near Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas. Observations of this invasive marine predator revealed a previously undocumented pis- civorous behavior. While slowly approaching prey fish, lionfish produce jets of water directed toward their prey. These jets may confuse or distract prey, and often result in prey fish facing the attacking lion- fish, increasing the probability of head-first capture and swallowing. While a variety of fishes are re - ported to create directed water jets, to our knowl- edge, this is the first report of a fish that does so during the capture of fish prey. This behavior may confer a high degree of predatory efficiency, and thus con- tribute to the dramatic success of this Pacific invader of tropical Western Atlantic and Caribbean coral reefs.
