RE: NANFA-L-- Boxfish and Cod

Hoover, Jan J ERDC-EL-MS (Jan.J.Hoover at erdc.usace.army.mil)
Mon, 3 Oct 2005 13:26:56 -0500

Latest (10/05) issue of Natural History magazine has two items of possible
interest to native fish enthusiasts:

Boxed Up to Go, by Adam Summers (p. 38-39) -- reports that boxfishes, which
do not seem very hydrodynamic, are really "fast, stable, and amazingly
maneuverable." Studies by Ian K. Bartol indicate that their box-like shell
generates "spiral vortices" along the edges which keeps it swimming straight
and reduces drag to a level comprable with more streamlined fishes. The
design is so good that Mercedes-Benz has designed a concept car using the
same morphology as the boxfish.

Amuse Me or Lose Me, by Stephan Reebs? (p.13) -- notes that cod fingerlings
are typically raised in simple aquaria, and fed the same kind of food pellets
at the same time of day every day. Studies by Victoria A. Braithwaite and
Anne G.V. Salvanes showed that when cod were raised in complex aquaria (i.e.,
with rocks and plastic plants) and fed at variable times, they were more
likely to explore new environments, took less time to recover from
disturbance, and were more likely to switch to new diets. "Boldness,
flexibility, and willingness to try new foods"are believed to promote "fully
functional citizens of the deep" and boost the chances of individual fish
surviving in the wild.
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