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7mo ago

Sea Robins Use Leg-like Fins to Walk and Taste for Prey

New studies reveal how these unique fish employ sensory legs to navigate and hunt on the ocean floor.

Sea robins have delicate fins resembling the wings of a bird.
A species of sea robins called Prionotus carolinus studied by the researchers used their legs for walking, digging and sensing the seafloor.
Going forward, the researchers want to understand how sea robins evolved their unique adaptations.
Researchers uncovered differences between the legs of the sea robins they studied, as shown in this diagram.

Overview

  • Sea robins, a type of bottom-dwelling fish, have six leg-like appendages that they use to walk and sense prey buried in the sand.
  • Researchers discovered that these legs are extensions of the fish's pectoral fins and are equipped with sensory papillae similar to taste buds.
  • The studies identified a gene, tbx3a, crucial for the development of these sensory legs and their digging behavior.
  • Two species of sea robins were studied: Prionotus carolinus, which uses its legs to dig and taste, and Prionotus evolans, which does not.
  • The findings provide insights into how evolutionary adaptations can repurpose existing genetic tools to create new traits.