Although diverse animal sequences have evolved the ability to use tools (primates, parrots, octopus, crabs, hornets, etc.), the factors leading to evolutionary use that lead to tools are less understood. Fish can provide insight into these factors by comparing differences between tool-used and non-used species. The use of anvils is an example of the use of tools by fish. The fish holds the densely packed prey in its mouth, attacking it on an anvil to open it. Through the community science programmes we call Using fish toolsMarine biologists have collected 16 new observations of five anvil use in a group of WRASSES (colorful coral reef fish) called the New World Harikoeles. These new observations provide the first evidence of the use of ANVIL Halichoeres brasiliensis, Halichoeres poeyi and Halicoeres radiatusand first video evidence of anvil use Halichoeres Garnotti and Halichoeres bivittatus.
Tool-used genus within the family Labridae. Image credit: Taliel Adam et al. , doi: 10.1007/s00338-025-02633-w.
The use of tools was once considered human characteristics and a fundamental role in human evolution.
Evidence suggests that the use of tools is widespread among animals.
Animals use tools when using external objects to accomplish a particular task.
The tool allows animals to accomplish tasks and do them easier. The use of tools appears to be extremely beneficial for animals, and raises the question of why all animals do not use the tools.
Previous research into the evolution of tool use has been limited by morphology and ecology, which contrasts with the difficulty of finding closely related populations or species of varying degrees of use of tools.
Although it has not been well studied, the use of tools in fish may be an exception. Fish are the most distinctive vertebrate groups with high ecological and morphological diversity, even among closely related species.
The use of anvils is an example of tool use in fish. With anvil, the fish (i) grabs hard shell prey, such as sea urchins and bivalves, in their mouths, (ii) swims on hard surfaces such as rocks and coral heads, and (iii) opens the fierce surface quickly and repeatedly.
The use of anvils is described in 26 fish species, and all WRASSEs belonging to the family Labridae.
“The use of tools is usually related to humans, but this behavior proves that fish are far more clever than trust,” says Dr. Juliet Taliel Adam, a researcher at Macquarie University.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Videoiseries
Through the use of fish tools in the Citizen Science Initiative, Dr. Taliel Adam and her colleagues gathered 16 new observations in five species. Harikoeles WRASSES.
The findings present the first evidence of three anvil use and two other two video evidence, extending the known anvil use range into the Western Atlantic.
“With these newly discovered tool-used species, it becomes clear that many species of Huaras use tools they didn’t know before,” Dr. Taliel Adam said.
“This study adds to the study of fish intelligence,” added Callum Brown, a senior author at Macquarie University.
“They demonstrate the use of flexible and dexterous tools and are expanding their understanding of the evolution of tool use in the animal kingdom.”
Team’s result It will be displayed in the journal Coral reef.
____
J. Taliel Adam et al. Using tools by the New World Harikoeles WRASSES. Coral reefPublished online on March 26th, 2025. doi:10.1007/s00338-025-02633-w
Source: www.sci.news
