Ashley L.

Between a rock and a wet place

The goby, a small fish that lives in Hawaii, hatches in freshwater high in the hills and mountains. But soon afterward it’s swept out to the salty sea by strong currents. About six months later, the fish begin to swim back upstream to freshwater above waterfalls.First, the fish has to swim through lowland waterways that are filled with predators.Then, the goby has to climb up rocky waterfalls, some of which are hundreds of feet tall. It clings to the slippery rocks with its mouth and a tiny sucker on its underside. Scientists wonder whether the size of the goby helps it to escape predators and to climb the waterfall.In an earlier study, scientists found that larger gobies struggle more than smaller gobies when trying to make it up a waterfall. So, scientists wonder, is it better to have a squat body (to get up the waterfall easier), or a large body (to avoid predators on the way to the waterfall)? however, the story of the goby’s body shape is an example of evolution at work.

I liked this article because i never thought that gobys are able to climb waterfalls that are hundreds of feet.

from science news for kids