From mythical sharks to brilliant jellyfish, the ocean is full of unique creatures. Among all its great diversity there are also artists like the curious puffer fish, a species that draws a beautiful mandala on the seabed just to get a girlfriend.
When it comes to original mating techniques, both in the sea and on the surface we find fascinating methods. On earth, there is the bird of paradise, with its black plumage and its turquoise flashes that stand out in an incredible dance in the middle of the forest, or, there is the hummingbird with the «diving technique», where the males rise up to 20 meters and then fall at full speed and just before touching the ground rise suddenly.
On the other hand, a little deeper, is the seahorse. Seahorses have a more romantic method; when the water temperature is warm then the ceremonial dance begins, where the ideal couple ends the flirtation by intertwining their tails.
However, from a romantic dance we went to an art mural. And it is that many do not know the special technique of puffer fish to get a partner. Outside of extraordinary dances and striking fur, this fish resorts to a more elaborate technique: the art of the mandala.
The puffer fish mandala to get a girlfriend
Unclear structures have been observed at the bottom of the sea for a long time. What at first glance seemed to be sand moving by ocean currents, turned out to be the work of art of a very special fish.
In addition to dedicating its life to inflating itself to four times its size, the puffer fish also makes mandalas to get a girlfriend. This marine artist spends a whole week building the most beautiful mandala to impress a female of his kind, but this has little to be discovered.
Although some strange drawings were discovered on the seabed in 1995, it was not until 2011 that their origin was confirmed. These patterns were not an underwater alien act, but rather were part of the puffer fish’s mating technique. Until the BBC caught a puffer fish literally «fins in the sand» it was known that mandalas were part of an important rite.
An artistic and effective method of conquest
For an entire week, the puffer fish gathers his best skills and knowledge for what will be the work of art of his life. The goal is to impress a female, but the process is the most complex.
The fish needs to offer a tribute, a construction worthy of attention in order to perpetuate its genes. Once with that in mind, the fish picks a random spot in the sand and begins scratching with its fins and body for days without a break.
Due to the ephemeral nature of the design in the sand, the puffer fish must be cunning and quick with the creation of the mandala. The females are more attracted to the sculptures with more crests and this makes it difficult, since the water usually kills them quickly.
If the perseverance of the fish is good, a female will be attracted to the design and will swim to the center of the mandala. But it’s not all about beauty, the best artist puffer fish is also considered a good architect, since the female wants the eggs to be protected.
When a female has chosen a sculpture, she swims to the center of the figure to deposit her eggs and leave them ready to fertilize. While the male decides to go to fertilize the eggs, they are protected from currents and other dangers.
And so, after a week, the puffer fish concludes the most beautiful mandala in the ocean. An impressive underwater castle that will quickly disappear from the sand, but that -at least for a moment- will serve as a fortress for the new generations of a species.
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