Patrolling its stretch of mudflats, the territorial mudskipper defends a habitat that’s neither land nor sea.
Life is tough in a halfway world between land and sea, especially for the little fish that inhabit tropical mudflats. Mudskippers have to endure extreme heat and the sticky, salty mud, plus daily flooding and exposure as the tides rise and fall. Not only must they find ways to survive as fish out of water but, to make matters worse, this is a crowded place, filled with rivals to fight and predators to avoid. It’s every walking, jumping fish for itself.
“The big expanses of mud seem monotonous at first,’’ says wildlife photographer Rémi Masson, who has spent hours lying on scorching mudflats on Kyushu Island, in southern Japan, immersing himself in this inhospitable realm. “My biggest surprise was discovering the incredible diversity of species living there. It’s a fascinating spectacle.”
As the water retreats each day, egrets and other wading birds fly in and stalk across the mud searching for prey. Fiddler crabs skitter around and a territorial species of mudskipper, known in Japan as matsugoro, emerge from their borrows in the mud. The fish are a handspan in length and defend a territory 2m across, roughly the area of a pool table. When a crab wanders too close, it receives a stern warning from the resident mudskipper, which raises two blue, spotty fins along its back and opens its big, gaping mouth – a sign that the crab should back off.
Things get more heated when the intruder is another mudskipper. At first, the quarrelling pair put on an intimidating display, dorsal fins raised and mouths open wide. If neither retreat, then a short, sharp skirmish breaks out and the fish leap at each other, wrestling and biting. “The fight scenes are really difficult to photograph,” says Rémi. “They happen very quickly.”
This story is from the September 2019 edition of BBC Wildlife.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2019 edition of BBC Wildlife.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
ALL YOU EVER NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT THE Giant panda
Cuddly-looking with highly distinctive black-and-white fur and dark ‘spectacles’, the giant panda – often referred to simply as the panda – is an undeniably popular and much-loved bear, both the national animal of China and, of course, the iconic logo of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
CRUISE CONTROL
As more people are drawn to experience the frozen frontiers, can tourism to the seventh continent be a good thing for nature?
COWS COME HOME
Tauros are the closest thing to the extinct aurochs. And they are coming to the UK.
BIG LITTLE JOURNEYS
A closer look at the smallbut-mighty animals that must travel vast distances to survive
MOUNTAIN MISSION
Canada lynx and wolverines are secretive creatures, but dedicated scientists in Montana are tracking them to inform conservation
LET'S GET TOGETHER - ROOSTING PIED WAGTAILS
Remember to look up this Christmas to enjoy gangs of pied wags' gathered in the trees
FEMALE OF THE SPECIES - REINDEER
Lucy Cooke explains why the females of this Christmas icon have antlers too
Ancient woodland still at risk from HS2
Scrapping the northern phase has spared some sites, but woodlands and reserves remain under threat
Ocean superheroes
Release of 10.000 oysters in North East England promises to improve water quality and marine life
MEET THE VOLUNTEER - Keith Dobell
The retiree cares for a park, an old railway track and a wood in his home county of Northamptonshire