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News Release 12-209
Coral Reef 911: Corals Attacked by Seaweed Use Chemical Signals to Summon Help
"Bodyguard" fish quickly respond to gobble up marine algae
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Goby fish on a coral reef in Fiji; green algae are moving in on the coral, but gobies rescue.
Credit: Danielle Dixson
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Scientists report findings on a new relationship among coral reefs, fish called gobies, and certain seaweeds. The interaction depends on chemical cues, and will lead to a better understanding of coral reefsand possibly to new pharmaceuticals.
Credit: National Science Foundation
Scene of the crime: Fiji and its coral reefs in a vast ocean.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
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A goby on-the-job: it's feeding on algae that would otherwise cover the coral.
Credit: Danielle Dixson
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Goby fish in the genus Gobiodon: the fish are common coral reef residents in Fiji.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
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Close-up of Acropora coral: it "calls 911" when it chemically senses certain algae.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
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The research results are described in the Nov. 9, 2012 issue of the journal Science.
Credit: AAAS Copyright 2012
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