this post was submitted on 24 Jun 2024
223 points (96.7% liked)

science

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Even as a flying squid, I'm repulsed.

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[–] ralakus 53 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Video link for anyone interested.

https://www.usatoday.com/videos/tech/science/2024/06/21/jumping-leeches-video-first-time/74169034007/

Better video with almost no editing

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-21/leeches-jumping-video/104007924

Actual paper and video source citation (locked behind many paywalls)

A jumping terrestrial leech from Madagascar
Mai Fahmy, Michael Tessler Biotropica,
DOI: 10.1111/btp.13340

[–] FlyingSquid 12 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

thank you for the new nightmares.. I'd much rather have a flying squid

[–] FlyingSquid 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Who wouldn't? We're pretty awesome.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

can you fly like stingrays? (manta rays?)

[–] FlyingSquid 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

wow. TIL. thx.. learn something new everyday

[–] cybersandwich 7 points 3 months ago

...that leech fell. Wtf is this jumping business

[–] [email protected] 45 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Article: there's a video, but we're not going to show it, just trust us!

[–] poo 31 points 3 months ago
[–] FlyingSquid 14 points 3 months ago

The video is, I assume, behind the paywalled journal article. There's really not much they can do about that.

[–] ch00f 7 points 3 months ago

I scrolled down and saw the video.

[–] ch00f 21 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Leeches are such cool creatures. I had a run-in with them while canoeing in Manitoba. Just one or two latched on. It’s really incredible how they can move their bodies around in the water yet maintain the exact texture and fluidity of the water itself. You’d never be able to feel one if it brushed up against you.

Also crazy how well whatever numbing chemical they produce works.

If you want to safely observe one up close, you can get them to latch on to your finger nail where they can’t do any damage.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 months ago

Now I'm not sayin you're a leech in disguise, but you sound an awful lot like one of those leech-luvvas if you ask me

[–] SpaceNoodle 16 points 3 months ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago

They fly now.

[–] FlyingSquid 5 points 3 months ago

How dare you! That is not flying! I know what flying is!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

That's not flying, that's just falling with style.

[–] ripcord 3 points 3 months ago

Ooo, like planetary orbits.

[–] thesporkeffect 14 points 3 months ago (2 children)
[–] LongLive 11 points 3 months ago (1 children)

So they are able to jump only when they are hungry and hence light?

[–] FlyingSquid 10 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The paper is behind a paywall, but I suspect the article doesn't say because the paper doesn't come to a conclusion, but I would guess either predation or avoiding being prey themselves.

[–] Iheartcheese 17 points 3 months ago (2 children)

They only jump when you play Kriss Kross.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago

Your comment is wiggida-wiggida-wiggida wack.

[–] FlyingSquid 5 points 3 months ago

That will make you do it...

[–] iAvicenna 10 points 3 months ago

"Honey where is my flamethrower?"

[–] just_another_person 10 points 3 months ago

So that means they have optics...

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] FlyingSquid 7 points 3 months ago

Like much of the best biological science!

[–] Linkerbaan 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

After 20 years of the National Geographic cameraman waiting for two lions to get it on, he decides it was time for some actual wildlife videographing

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

I, too, like to videograph from time to time.