Page 12 - Martin Downs Bulletin - July '20

Page 12, Martin Downs

Book rEviEw

What A Fish Knows: The Inner ... and to share such experiences with that lives in river and coastal basins

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

CARRIE LAVARGNA
CARRIE LAVARGNA
Accredited Estate Planner (AEP)
Board Certified
Real Estate Attorney
REAL ESTATE
We provide quality, personal legal services to individuals and
businesses in Martin and St. Lucie Counties and
throughout the Treasure Coast.
1805 S. Kanner Highway, Stuart Financial Center, Stuart, FL 34994
.
.
772 286 7521
- REAL ESTATE PRACTICE TIP -

If you rent commercial o ce, retail, or warehouse space, Florida sales tax rate to use
commercial real property decreases to 5.7% on January 1, 2019. The local discretionary

sale surtax still applies. This decrease does not apply to parking or storage of motor
vehicles, docking or storage of boats or tie-down or storage of aircraft.