Sea Life Centre - Loch Lomond Announces Top 10 Flirty Fish

Fri, 2/13/2009 - 7:07 AM

By Emma McDougall

Loch Lomand, UK - Not even the grandest of romantic gestures this Valentine’s Day are likely to compare with some of the strangest amorous exploits of the marine world.

Sea Life Centres have drawn up a top-ten league table of fishy flirts with which to amaze their Valentine’s Day visitors.

The list includes the seductive male seahorse, who woos his ladyfriend with a spot of tail-twining; the male three-spined stickleback who turns red with fiery passion, and the male shark, who signals his interest with a love-bite to the neck. 

Yet even these fascinating antics appear a bit tame when compared with the mating ritual of many male crabs.

“A king crab or a blue crab, for example, will gently cradle his mate beneath him and carry her round for maybe three days before they get it together,” said Sea Life marine expert Mark Hind.

“His reward is a coupling that lasts anything between five and 11 hours.”

The reason for this strange rite is that females need to moult their hard shell before mating is possible.

The male is therefore guarding her while she is most vulnerable, and he goes on carrying her after the act until her new shell has hardened and she can safely go her own way.

“He may be a bit of a hard-case, but the male crab is no ‘love’em’ and leave’em’ scoundrel,” said Mark.

Even more remarkable, perhaps, is the mating spectacle that hundreds of people line a few specific beaches in southern California to watch every spring.

It involves a fish called the grunion, which is the only species to lay its eggs out of the water!

Thousands of female grunions arrive on an in-rushing wave and as it retreats perform a dance standing on their tails, at the same time digging a small hole and depositing their eggs.

The males then copy the dance and fertilise the eggs…before the next wave washes the happy couples back out to sea again.

This whole elaborate ritual takes no longer than 30 seconds, but is repeated many times over the course of the spring and early summer.

Moray eels are better known for their razor sharp teeth than their romantic nature, but actually they are among the most affectionate of sea creatures.

“They are quite shy, and their courtship is not often witnessed,” said Mark, “but those who have seen it describe a very moving scene in which they weave from side to side facing each other with mouths wide open before coiling their bodies together in a loving embrace.”

As one thrilled observer noted… ‘that’s a moray!’

Many would be surprised to learn that the silent world beneath the waves is not always so silent when love is in the…water!

Closely related toadfish and midshipmen fish off the northwest US and Canadian coasts use a variety of sounds to both attract mates and scare off rivals.

“Scientists believe these fish provide evidence that vocal noises first evolved beneath the seas some 400 million years ago,” said Mark Hind.

“In both species the males lure females to nest with a deep baritone hum, but defend their territory with a more aggressive grunt.”

The sea bass, a favourite in many a seafood restaurant, also employs sound to attract a partner. The male rapidly beats the gill-covers on the side of his head to produce rhythmical groups of notes.

The beautiful mandarin fish behaves in a slightly more adolescent fashion in his endeavours to cut a dash.

“Groups of two or three males will basically hang around the coral reef equivalent of street corners strutting their stuff in the hope that the girls will fall at their fins,” said Mark.

But it is a common British species the dragonet which is Mark’s personal favourite in the love stakes.

“It helps that they’re incredibly colourful fish to start with,” he explained, “and the male uses his bright colours to good effect when trying to impress the object of his desires.”
-continued-
“He approaches the female on the seabed, spreads his dazzling pectoral fins and opens his mouth really wide.

“He’ll keep backing off and repeating this approach until the female can resist no longer, and she will then rise up and the pair will rise vertically through the water, belly to belly.

“At a certain moment they will simultaneously release eggs and sperm so that the eggs are fertilised before they drift away on the current.

“It’s really magical to see,” said Mark.

So, the full Top Ten of fishy flirtations is:

1. The dragonet ballet
2. The dance of the grunions
3. The crab caress
4. Moray ‘amoré’
5. Tail-entwining seahorses
6. The humming serenade of the toadfish
7. Drumming up love ‘sea-bass’ style
8. Signalling passion stickleback fashion
9. Bitten by a love-struck shark
10. Cornered by a male mandarin.
 



       
Share |
 

User login




Only active users can add comments.

Your Comments listed below have been added (Scroll down to add additional comments)


123123 Mon, 9/6/2010 - 11:25 PM — wxhwxh

christian louboutin
buy christian louboutin
buying christian louboutin
cheap christian louboutin
cheaper christian louboutin
cheapest christian louboutin
discount christian louboutin
christian louboutin discounted
christian louboutin pumps
christian louboutin boots
christian louboutin sale
christian louboutin sandals
christian louboutin shoes
christian louboutin shop
christian louboutin sling back
christian louboutin wedding
christian louboutin wedges
christian louboutin bridal
christian louboutin orsay
christian louboutin paquita
christian louboutin peep
christian louboutin petal
christian louboutin pigalle
christian louboutin pronounce
buy chanel
cheap chanel
cheapest chanel
discount chanel
chanel sale
chanel bags
chanel handbags
chanel purse
chanel belt
chanel wallet
chanel shop
chanel store
chanel designer
chanel messenger
chanel hobo
chanel travel
chanel shoulder
chanel business
chanel 2.55
louis vuitton bags
louis vuitton handbags
louis vuitton purse
louis vuitton wallet
louis vuitton belt
louis vuitton briefcase
louis vuitton travel
louis vuitton luggage
louis vuitton messeger
louis vuitton designer
louis vuitton discount
louis vuitton sale
louis vuitton store
louis vuitton stock
louis vuitton shop
louis vuitton collection
buy louis vuitton
cheap louis vuitton
lv bags
lv handbags
lv purse
lv wallet
lv belt
discount lv
buy gucci
cheap gucci
cheapest gucci
discount gucci
gucci sale
gucci bags
gucci handbags
gucci purse
gucci belt
gucci wallet
gucci shop
gucci store
gucci designer
gucci messenger
gucci diaper
gucci large
gucci medium
gucci travel
gucci shoulder
gucci business
gucci d gold
gucci flap


tiffany Wed, 8/18/2010 - 11:30 PM — fengying23

tiffany Wed, 8/18/2010 - 11:26 PM — fengying23

q455923354 Mon, 8/16/2010 - 1:28 AM — q455923354

q455923354 Mon, 8/16/2010 - 1:27 AM — q455923354

We are continuing our transition to energy-efficient LED lights. The lights used for the dancing tree show this year are all LED and will use only one-third the power used last year.
_________________________________________________________
http://www.eluxurywow.net/


Unusual to have three snow leopard cubs Thu, 7/1/2010 - 2:58 AM — journeymaven

Congratulations to ABQ BioPark and the proud cat parents on the birth of three snow leopard cubs. That's fantastic news and we look forward to these three playing an important role in snow leopard survival breeding and also helping educate people about their endangered cousins in the wild.

Snow leopards live in some of the most extreme environments on earth - in high altitudes and freezing temperatures. If we don't do a lot of work with communities and governments in snow leopards 12 range countries, these beautiful cats may be extinct in the wild in our life time.

Sibylle Noras
Founder and Publisher
“Saving Snow Leopards” website.  See how conservationists and zoos are working to help these rare and elusive cats avoid extinction.

http://www.snowleopardblog.com


Love penguin fluffballs. Thu, 6/3/2010 - 5:06 PM — ConservationCute

I especially liked if you go to the zoo's homepage and click on the info about naming the baby, the winner says she'd like to be able to tell her dad that a penguin was named after him for his birthday. Adorable!


If you have any interest in reading a new blog, featuring conservation of adorable animals and their habitats, please check out my website...

 

Conservation:Cute
http://conservationcute.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

 


World Oceans Day Tue, 6/1/2010 - 1:36 PM — TOP

For more information about World Oceans Day and a list of other events in your area you can visit www.WorldOceansDay.org


Elephants Fri, 5/7/2010 - 8:56 PM — tikitravel

Asome news on the new baby! I agree with everyone here on the fact that animals should not be in captivation. If you want to check out a really cool place in Thailand where you can care for elephants check out http://www.elephantstay.com this place is a sanctuary for retired working elephants, it's an amazing place and they do so much good for the animals who live there. I went a few months ago and it was amazing.

Kimberly Juchnowski

Publisher, http://www.tikikiki.com


zoo animal diet's Mon, 4/19/2010 - 1:36 PM — veggiedude

It's ridiculous to try extrapolate zoo animals diet to human beings, and it flies in the face of all science of the last 30 years that looked into nutrition and health research. Maybe Rudy Socha was being sarcastic? I hope so.


response to starseed Sun, 4/18/2010 - 11:11 PM — Tessa

I fully agree with you when it comes to the captivity of orcas. These animals live considerably shorter, unhealthier lives than they normally would have in the wild. I am disgusted by what I have seen at Sea World. They claim to be trying to educate people on the animals when really it is all nothing but a circus with the animals being made to perform to attract customers. I am a little more on the fence however when it comes to some other species of dolphins, such as the ones they keep at Vancouver Aquarium. While I do not support the capture of wild dolphins, I do recognize the fact that there are species that actually live longer and perhaps healthier lives in captivity than in the wild. One of the neat things at the Vancouver Aquarium is that none of the dolphins were captured for the purpose of entertainment: they were all animals that were rescued after getting caught and injured in fishing nets and are unable to return to the wild due to their injuries. I have seen the shows and the aquarium are truly focused more on educating visitors than trying to entertain them at the animals' expense.


Christian's Award Sat, 4/17/2010 - 4:37 PM — jparrish

I know that Christian is dedicated to her aquarium job and to the rehab of sea turtles.  I am proud of her.


Dry Tortugas National Park Wed, 4/14/2010 - 12:55 AM — Jehnavi

The seashore, our accredited Summer Learning Adventure Camps merge scientific exploration Dry Tortugas National Park with hands-on fun and learning. Campers investigate marine habitats, create ocean art projects, learn about careers in oceanography, and combine the science and sports of surfing and snorkeling, all while making new friends and memories.


hey Mon, 4/12/2010 - 3:54 AM — lydiaabbey

http://www.deafmatching.com is an online community for deaf, ASL and hearing-impaired friends and singles!
Have fun with photos, message boards, chat, blog and more.


Don't support it anymore Tue, 3/16/2010 - 7:31 AM — starseed2

I think we should move on from having dolphins in captivity now - we all know this isn't good for them.


diabetes Tue, 1/26/2010 - 11:32 PM — pearlstarr27
A diabetic diet guide on how to manage different type of diabetes http://DiabetesMeal.info

diabetes Tue, 1/26/2010 - 11:31 PM — pearlstarr27
A diabetic diet guide on how to manage different type of diabetes http://DiabetesMeal.info

pacaya samiria national reserve Sun, 1/24/2010 - 9:49 PM — amylynn

The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is a magical place.  The flora, fauna, remoteness and beauty are exquisite.  Another interesting aspect is how the indigenous people there live.  To learn more and see photos  taken by indigenous children in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, you can visit ninosdelaamazonia.org



Subscribe to our eNewsletter

© 2010 Zoo and Aquarium Visitor. All rights reserved.