QUEENSLAND, Australia, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- For the orange spotted filefish (or harlequin filefish), the saying "you are what you eat" isn't just a cliche, it's a way of life. At some point in evolutionary history, the harlequin filefish began taking on the appearance of its preferred coral. That's all and well for escaping predators that rely on their eyesight. But what about bigger fish with a keen sense of smell?
In a new study, researchers say the orange spotted filefish (Oxymonacanthus longirostris) is able to take on the smell of its food in order to camouflage its scent as it hides among the same coral it dines on. The fish ingests chemicals from the coral that allow it to shroud itself in the coelenterate's musk.