A team at the University of Utah has discovered that two species of cone snail have a seemingly unique way to hunt — by releasing fish insulin into the water to slow down the metabolism of the fish they seek to eat.
According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the two fish-hunting cone snails that have evolved this unique ability areConus geographus and Conus tulipa. These snails use a specially evolved fish insulin to induce hypoglycemic shock in their prey. Instead of pursuing their meals, they wait until one swims by and then flood the surrounding waters with the insulin. That causes a suppression of glucose to the fish’s vital organs (like the brain), rendering the snails’ targets lethargic and easy to catch.
via The Verge
