Photo provided by Birch Aquarium’s Husbandry Team.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego is helping scientists uncover the secrets of Syngnathids, known for one of nature’s fastest feeding behaviors. Recently, researchers from UC Irvine, Scripps Oceanography and Tel Aviv University visited the aquarium to document feeding behaviors of these fish to better understand the biomechanics that make these tiny predators so precise.
Feeding in a Flash
Zooplankton are tiny drifting animal-like plankton found throughout the ocean that form a crucial part of the marine food web. Although abundant, they’re remarkably adept at dodging the feeding strikes of many fish. However, one unusual family of fish has cracked the code for catching them.
Seahorses, seadragons and pipefish — all members of the Syngnathidae family — use their long, tube-like snouts to suck in zooplankton at astonishing speed. Mere milliseconds, in fact! While research has found that specialized elastic elements power this rapid feeding, much of the underlying mechanics remains a mystery.
“This feeding strike happens so fast that their muscles alone can’t produce enough power to drive it. We know that they can achieve such speedy strikes by storing energy in elastic tendons before the moment of impact, much like an archer drawing a bowstring. However, the details of this mechanism are unclear,” said Matthew McHenry, a Professor at UC Irvine who leads the McHenry Lab and Animal Locomotion.
That’s where Birch Aquarium can step in to offer a one-of-a-kind opportunity for researchers to observe and study Syngnathids.
Supporting Syngnathid Science
Home to one of the most diverse collections of Syngnathids worldwide — from seahorses and pipefish to shrimpfish, snipefish and Weedy Seadragons — Birch Aquarium offered the perfect setting for scientists to study multiple species and life stages in one location.
“Working with Birch Aquarium was a phenomenal opportunity, particularly because of the diversity of animals they care for and raise. The aquarium is internationally known for its work with Syngnathids, especially their Weedy Seadragon breeding program, making this an exceptionally special opportunity for us to learn,” said McHenry.
Over a 10-day study, the team used high-speed video to film newborn, juvenile and adult seahorses, seadragons, pipefish and more to investigate key questions about their unique feeding mechanics. By watching the footage, they could better study things like which muscles and tendons provide the power, what the latching mechanism is that allows for the stretching of tendons, how the latch can generate a strike and how elements have been modified over the course of evolution.
Behind Every Breakthrough
“Birch Aquarium is a gateway to cutting-edge science and research taking place at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and around the world. This project offered an exciting opportunity to highlight the important role public aquariums play in driving scientific discovery," said Mark Yun, Seahorse Care and Conservation Aquarist. "Syngnathids are a fascinating and still-mysterious family of fish, and we’re thrilled that our work can help uncover some of the secrets behind them.”
Throughout the study, the aquarium’s Animal Care Team played a crucial role in supporting the researchers while ensuring the animals’ wellbeing. They identified optimal feeding locations for filming and ensured that fish were fed near the front of their habitats, optimizing video capture. The resulting footage will hopefully help answer questions and offer valuable insights into the feeding biomechanics across the entire syngnathid family.
By hosting and supporting studies like this, Birch Aquarium helps turn scientific discovery into a deeper understanding of our ocean and the animals that call it home. Learn more about how Birch Aquarium, Scripps Oceanography and UC San Diego help support groundbreaking research here.
About Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Birch Aquarium at Scripps is the public exploration center for Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Birch Aquarium features the groundbreaking work of Scripps Oceanography and UC San Diego scientists as well as conservation breeding programs and interactive exhibits. Birch Aquarium’s mission is to connect understanding to protecting our ocean planet, which it achieves through engaging hands-on learning opportunities for more than 500,000 guests and 40,000-plus pre-K-12 students each year. Visit aquarium.ucsd.edu for more information.