Corals under attack by toxic seaweed do what anyone might
when threatened--they call for help.
Results reported this week in the journal Science show that
threatened corals send signals to fish "bodyguards" that quickly
respond to trim back noxious algae, which can kill the coral if not promptly
removed.
Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology found
evidence that these "mutualistic" fish respond to chemical signals
from the coral in a matter of minutes, like a 911 emergency call.