ScienceAugust 17, 2026
sandperch
SAND-purch
Definition
A type of small bottom-dwelling fish that often burrows in seafloor sediment.
Etymology
The word is a compound of 'sand,' referring to the habitat where these fish are often found, and 'perch,' a general term for various spiny-finned freshwater and saltwater fish.
In the news
The article mentions barred sandperch as the primary prey that dolphins target by using sponges to flush them out of their hiding spots in the ocean floor.
Dolphins off Western Australia carry sea sponges on their beaks while foraging along the ocean floor — a rare tool-use behaviour passed mainly from mothers to daughters, making it one of the few animal cultures shaped so strongly by gender
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com