The fish is called the "sarcastic fringehead"
The frills on its forehead are referred to as the fringehead. According to Watcharapong Hongjamrassilp, the fish is sarcastic because it lashes out at anything that threatens its nest. They may have been referring to a word from ancient Greece.
The fish's behavior is interesting once you get past its name. You can watch fringeheads for a long time and you will see their mouths open. The display exposes a curtain of flesh that beams with yellow outlines, indigo tie dye and an ultraviolet glow, as if it were a dangerous demon from the show "Stranger Things" dressed for an electronic dance music festival.
The behavior of fringeheads has been documented before. There is no scientific evidence that this behavior is used for anything other than fighting.
Dr. Hongjamrassilp and his colleagues found that sarcastic fringeheads were more likely to defend themselves than to fight other species because they were more likely to have their own resources.
Yusan Yang, an evolutionary biologist at Washington University in St. Louis, was not involved with the study that was published last week.
The team scuba dived off the coast of Southern California to observe sarcastic fringeheads. The fish can grow to be as big as a foot long. They were found in coconut-size snail shells, rock crevices, and even in litter.
Outside fringehead living quarters, the team members saw fights and courting. They documented fights between the fish and other animals.
The men emerged and jerked their heads from side to side, but neither partner displayed parachuting mouths. The fish would charge and nip the other fish, but they didn't flare their faces. During the competition, the fish only showed their bright cheeks.
The team captured 15 sarcastic fringeheads and took them back to the lab to see if the display worked during fish fights. The bigger fish are usually the ones that win. The mouthy display seemed to prevent fights from getting violent.
There was a consistent sequence of behaviors. The resident would display first when two fish crossed paths. If the signaler was larger than the invader, it would retreat. They would make faces at each other, mouths agape, if things weren't settled.
If things didn't end there. The fish that sunk its teeth into the other was threatening to uproots it's eyebrow.
Dr. Hongjamrassilp theorizes that the display shows the signaler's strength. The yellow outline could show how big a fish is, and the muscles in its mouth could show how strong it is.
It is most likely blindfolded by the large drape of flesh. Fighters have to assess each other before they fight. They probably don't know who they're fighting
The first step in understanding why the dramatic behavior evolved in sarcastic fringeheads is a study. It is impossible to know if it is due to their large body size or their fierce competition for cavernous shells that can accommodate them.
There are many unknowns in the system. This is a good start.
Dr. Hongjamrassilp might not be included in the future of fringe head research. His doctor told him to give up scuba diving after he was recently diagnosed with a disease. He collected data to answer the question about evolution. His colleagues and co- authors will have to pick up where he left off.
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