News Life

Seaweed-threatened corals send chemical SOS to fish

Cry for help summons allies to graze away the overgrowth

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

When a killer seaweed touches a kind of spiky coral, the coral pushes a chemical panic button that brings small resident fish to the rescue.

RESCUE SQUAD Living among coral branches, the broad-barred goby (Gobiodon histrio) will react to a chemical cue from its sheltering coral releases if touched by a brilliant green, toxic seaweed (right) and nip back the encroaching foliage.