Octopuses sometimes punch fish out of spite, scientists say
The IndependentSign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Octopuses and fish team up to pursue prey, but they may not always get along, research suggests. Footage captured by Eduardo Sampaio, a researcher at the University of Lisbon in Portugal, shows several octopuses lashing out at fish as they happily swim alongside. “Octopuses and fishes are known to hunt together, taking advantage of the other’s morphology and hunting strategy,” Mr Sampaio said. “Since multiple partners join, this creates a complex network where investment and pay-off can be unbalanced, giving rise to partner control mechanisms.” The punching can sometimes serve a purpose by displacing the fish to a degree where it loses the immediate opportunity to catch prey.
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