spitting mudskipper @ chek jawa

spitting mudskipper from BeachBum on Vimeo.

Chek Jawa 10 Jan 2010 : The 1.0m tide was great for viewing the intertidal zone near the boardwalk from the boardwalk. There were quite a few other interested visitors observing the mudskippers (and fiddler crabs). The mudskippers were out showing off building homes and looking for mates.

There were some mudskippers renovating their burrows by removing mud. The clip shows of mudskipper which had been busy renovating his burrow but which had moved away from it until he saw another mudskipper (presumably a rival male or ... a female not up to his satisfaction) too close to his burrow for comfort. He made a hasty retreat to his burrow whilst flashing his brightly coloured dorsal fin along the way. Instead of getting into a tussle with the offending mudskipper, this little guy decided to shoot mouthfulls of mud at the visiting mudskipper. And his first shot was accurate! Right on the other mudskipper chasing it away!

Is this an example of a fish using a tool? i.e the mudskipper using mud as a projectile weapon. Archer fish, also found in Singapore's mangroves, use water as a projectile weapon to shoot insect prey into the water.

Check out JK's mud spitting photos on his blog :-
Singapore Nature : http://sgn090608.blogspot.com/2010/01/100110-ubin.html

And also's RT's WildSingapore pages for more action and information
Wildsingapore.com :
http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2010/01/mud-slinging-mudskippers-at-chek-jawa.html
http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2009/12/mudskippers-leaping-at-chek-jawa.html
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/fish/fishfi15.htm