Page 12 - Jupiter Spotlight - July '20

Page 12, Jupiter Spotlight
Book Review

What A Fish Knows: The Inner This month’s selection, What a Social Contracts, describes the ongoing
Lives Of Our Underwater Fish Knows, is another of these: a relationship between “cleanerfishes”
remarkable scientific work written
(more than 20 different species of fishes
Cousins in a highly readable, non-technical that include wrasses, damselfishes,
style. Its author, Jonathan Balcombe, jacks, cichlids, guppies, sunfishes,
By Nils A. Shapiro is the director of animal sentience etc.) and their clients, well over a 100
“Jonathan Balcombe at the Humane Society Institute for known fish species that include sharks,
vividly shows that fish Science and Policy. He has appeared on rays, lobsters, sea turtles, octopuses,
have feelings and numerous television shows, including hippopotamuses – even humans in some
deserve consideration the National Geographic Channel, and Asian health spas!
and protection like other is a contributor to The New York Times For lack of space in this review, I
sentient beings.” – The and other publications. will omit sections of the book’s text –
Dalai Lama For anyone who has ever had a indicated with an ellipse (...):
One of the great joys simple bowl with a goldfish as a child, In this win-win arrangement, the
of having the privilege or a more complex home aquarium cleaner “picks over the clients’ bodies,
of writing these review with many tropical fish, and wondered removing parasites, dead skin, algae,
columns – 175 as of this whether they recognize the human and other undesirable blemishes.
issue – has been the opportunity to discover books that faces staring at them ... or whether Clients benefit by receiving a spa
taught me more about the subjects that fascinate me than to believe the fishermen who claim that fish don’t feel treatment, including parasite removal. Cleaners get fed.”
I ever learned throughout my school years, including pain from the hooks used to catch them ... or whether ... “Clients are not passive participants. When it is
college ... and to share such experiences with my readers some fish like to be petted by humans ... or whether it’s their turn, they approach the cleaning station and hover
in the hope that some of you will find them equally important to be careful in selecting which fishes can live in place, spreading their fins to help cleaners reach all
rewarding. together in a home aquarium and which cannot, including the nooks and crannies. Some open their mouths and gill
As many of you know by now, I prefer nonfiction over individual personalities ... or whether fish can hear and covers to allow the usually much smaller cleaners to enter
fiction, and my tastes lean strongly to books about animals “speak” to each other underwater ... or whether fishes have and exit. A cleaner will sometimes butt her snout against
and nature in general, as well as early American history intelligence, a range of emotions, and a real memory (not fins and gill covers to signal the client to spread them
and ancient world (generally Greek or Roman) history. just the three seconds that are generally credited by people for inspection. Cleaners also vibrate their ventral fins so
Once in a while, a really good novel or more current theme to goldfish) ... these and hundreds of other questions are that they tap against the host’s body in a signal that says,
finds its way into my reading schedule. answered in this fascinating book that covers not only ‘Please keep this part of your body still for inspection.’
But my real hope is that when I read a book which, finned fish but octopuses, rays, eels, shellfish and others. “This is a dramatic scene if the client is a large predator.
for me, becomes a truly life-changing or awakening One of the most “shocking” facts in the book (pun Although a shark or a moray eel could easily snap up the
experience, I am able to express those feelings adequately intended) relates to the way a species of elephantfish that cleaner for a quick snack, it just isn’t savvy to eat your
enough in my review to motivate you to obtain that book lives in river and coastal basins of western and central service provider.
for yourself and derive the same wonderful benefit. Africa communicate with each other by high-speed “But it is kosher to show your consideration toward
Dozens of books that I have reviewed fit into this electric organ discharges (EOD). Studies have shown them. Groupers, for example, use signals to assist the
category, but I will name just a few here as a reminder: them to have an astounding ability to discern pulse time cleanerfishes who tend to them. A large mouth gape acts
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They differences down to a millionth of a second! “This rivals as an invitation. While the cleaner is busy, the grouper
Communicate—Discoveries from a Secret World by Peter echolocation by bats as the fastest form of communication keeps an eye out for any possible threats. If the cleaner
Wohleben in the animal kingdom.” happens to be in the grouper’s mouth when danger is
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into Think about it: a millionth of a second! I had to put the approaching, the grouper snaps its mouth closed but
the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery book down at that point, marveling at the communication leaves just enough room for the cleaner to escape and
What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses by system of this small fish in Africa that I had never even dart into a safe cranny in the reef. If a cleaner is in the
Daniel Chamovitz heard of. gills, the same thing happens, only this time it is the gill
Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals I will offer one more brief excerpt from this cover that is left ajar.”
Are? by Frans de Waal extraordinary paperback volume (which, by the way, If this review has provided the bait to hook you into
Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and includes an interesting section of color photographs) wanting to know more about What a Fish Knows, trust
Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans by just to give you another example of the rich array of me: You won’t be disappointed with the author’s full
John Marzluff and Tony Angell surprises you will find in its pages. The chapter I refer to, seafood entrée.
Buzz Sting Bite: Why We Need Insects by Anne
Sverdrup-Thygeson
A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome, by Alberto Angela
The Hemlock Cup: Socrates, Athens and the Search for
the Good Life by Bettany Hughes

July 2020 / Jupiter Inlet Tide Chart

Day High Low High Low High Day High Low High Low High
Wed 01 12:28 AM 6:13 AM 12:52 PM 7:06 PM Fri 17 1:21 AM 6:57 AM 1:36 PM 7:48 PM
Thu 02 1:25 AM 7:12 AM 1:47 PM 8:03 PM Sat 18 2:08 AM 7:49 AM 2:22 PM 8:37 PM
Fri 03 2:19 AM 8:08 AM 2:39 PM 8:55 PM Sun 19 2:53 AM 8:39 AM 3:07 PM 9:24 PM
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