"Witnessing the eels' desperate escape from the predator's stomach to the gills was truly astonishing for us," said Yuha Hasegawa, highlighting the unusual behavior of eels during predation.
"We initially assumed the eels were escaping via the mouth. However, the escape maneuver through the gills was unexpected and fascinating, akin to the Fosbury flop technique in high jump," Hasegawa noted.
"The eels demonstrated a remarkable ability to navigate the dark sleeper fish's body, showing both ingenuity and agility while attempting to evade predation," the researchers reported, emphasizing the importance of these observations.
The study involved tracking the escape attempts of 32 swallowed eels, with nine ultimately managing to free themselves, while some showed signs of abrasions from the rigorous escape process.
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