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22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Unusual encounter

A washed-up scrawled cowfish on a Mexican sandy island sparks a conversation between two ants. They engage in trophallaxis, exchanging regurgitated food and fluids, a behavior essential for nutrient distribution and communal cooperation within the colony. Presumably, it won't be long before the area is swarming with fellow ants eager to partake in this feast. With their rigid body shape and short fins, boxfishes are probably the least capable among all fishes to maneuver themselves out of such a dilemma back into the water.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 01.2023
Date Uploaded: 12.2024
Photo Location: Mexico
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Copyright: © Bernhard Schubert