When Barracudas Attack: Swift and Sharp

Rice and his team noted that sometimes barracudas "would literally spear the prey fish on those giant fang-like teeth in the front, and there were other strikes where the barracuda would be able to seize the prey fish with the middle or back of the mouth, and then close its jaws."

The total force of the barracuda's strike is 720 Newton, with most of that force concentrated along a very small area of the fish's tooth tips. By contrast, spiny dogfish sharks only have a bite force of 20 N.

There have been numerous reports of barracuda attacks on humans, resulting in limb amputations or, rarely, death. Rice said barracudas are not overtly aggressive or desirous of humans, unless the person is wearing a bright, reflective object, such as a metallic watch or a diving knife. Nevertheless, he advised to swim clear of the toothy fish if one is spotted.

Philip Motta, a professor of biology at the University of South Florida, is now investigating the muscles that barracudas use when they attack. Motta's team specializes in the anatomy and mechanics of fish feeding.

The new paper represents "an exciting and interesting investigation into the feeding biology of this fascinating predator," Motta said.

Despite all of the research on barracudas, Rice said that "we have only scratched the surface in terms of understanding how barracuda feed." He hopes his work "will inspire others to investigate how these incredible fish function and what makes them so special."

Related Links:

Jennifer Viegas' blog: Born Animal

Discovery Education: Barracuda

Aaron Rice's Page

USF Ichthyology