How are they biting? High-speed video reveals unexpected jaw movements in reef fish

How are they biting? High-speed video reveals unexpected jaw movements in reef fish

Some reef fish have the unexpected ability to move their jaws from side to side, biologists at the University of California, Davis have discovered. This ability—which is rare among vertebrate animals—allows these fish to feed rapidly and efficiently on algae growing on rocks. The work is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Unexpected Jaw Movements in Reef Fish Revealed by High-Speed Video Analysis

In a remarkable breakthrough that challenges long-standing assumptions about vertebrate jaw mechanics, researchers at the University of California, Davis have unveiled that certain reef fish possess an exceptional ability to move their jaws laterally—side to side—expanding the known functional repertoire of jaw movement among vertebrates. This rare capability, observed primarily in species such as the Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus) and surgeonf…