News Animals

This fish has legs — and it uses them for more than just walking

Sea robins’ legs are not only crablike, but also like tongues

A fish with large winglike fins protruding from its side and six crablike legs sits atop white sand with a black background

The legs of a northern sea robin are sensory organs that help the fish seek out crabs and other prey buried in sand along the seafloor, two studies show.

Anik Grearson

By Erin Garcia de Jesús

It’s a bird! It’s a crab! No, it’s a fish that can taste with its legs.

Read this story for free

Enter your email address for continued access to Science News

By continuing, you acknowledge that you are at least 13 years of age and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.  Under 13?  Check out Science News Explores.

 

OR
Use up and down arrow keys to explore.Use right arrow key to move into the list.Use left arrow key to move back to the parent list.Use tab key to enter the current list item.Use escape to exit the menu.Use the Shift key with the Tab key to tab back to the search input.