The fish, which is the climbing perch Anabas testudineus, is on the move now, according to a press release issued by James Cook University (JCU). It has already traveled south from Papua New Guinea towards Australia, establishing itself on the Torres Strait Islands of Boigu and Saibai.
This video shows the fish in action at another site:
The species could be nicknamed “Superfish” because of its ability to survive incredible hardship.
When water dries up, the fish can drag itself from place to place, surviving for 1 to 6 days with zero water whatsoever. Mammal-like lungs allow it to breathe air while on land, in addition to its anatomy suited for water dwelling.
Its hardiness gives it an edge over most other fish, such that it can outcompete native species. Once it becomes established in a region, it can wreck havoc on the existing ecosystem, the researchers suggest.
The fish is so sturdy that it can hibernate in the mud of dried-up creek beds for up to six months. When swallowed by larger predators, the fish cleverly swells up its body, often blocking the throat of the predator, which may either choke or starve to death.
The climbing perch is a freshwater fish, but researchers are learning that even saltwater doesn’t pose much of a threat.
“It does seem to be able to handle a little bit of salt,” JCU senior researcher Nathan Waltham said.
In a recent trip to the Torres Strait, he and his colleagues found the fish “in some hyper saline water holes,” Waltham said, “so there is some ability to resist exposure” to salt.
Read more at Discovery News
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