article_snippet: But now, a slow-motion video of mudskippers eating shrimp may help reveal the evolutionary secret.
article_snippet: a slow-motion video of mudskippers eating shrimp shows the creatures, which live in and out of water and forage for food on the ground, taking a mouthful of water to act like a tongue, allowing the creatures, which live in and out of water and forage for food on the ground, taking a mouthful of water to act like a tongue to swallow food on land.
article_snippet: A slow-motion video of mudskippers feeding may help reveal an evolutionary secret.
article_snippet: A slow-motion video of mudskippers feeding shows the creatures, which live in and out of water and forage for food on the ground (pictured in a stock image) taking a mouthful of water to act like a tongue, allowing the creatures, which live in and out of water and forage for food on the ground (pictured in a stock image) taking a mouthful of water to act like a tongue to swallow food on land .
article_snippet: When underwater, mudskippers suck water containing food particles into their mouths, which are swallowed when their reach the back of their throats, New Scientist reported.
article_snippet: The video revealed that mudskippers combine the sucking method of fish (stock image left) with the grabbing tongue action of amphibians such as nexts (right), meaning they could reveal a missing evolutionary link .
article_snippet: Mudskippers are members of the gobies family, which is one of the largest fish families comprising more than 2,000 species.
article_snippet: Mudskippers are uniquely adapted to intertidal habitats, meaning that they don't have to hide in rock pools or retreat when the tide goes out.
article_snippet: The creatures breathe through The creatures skin and the lining of The creatures mouth and throat, but this only works when mudskippers are wet, limiting The creatures to humid and watery habitats.
article_snippet: By watching the video, which was slowed down 50 times, the experts were able to see that the mudskippers carry water in the experts mouths.
article_snippet: A team of researchers led by Krijn Michel at the University of Antwerp, Belgium also placed food on an absorbent surface and found that the mudskippers could still grab food using food unusual technique, but had problems swallowing food.
article_snippet: The scientists worked out that mudskippers move the hyoid bone in the floor of The scientists mouth upwards, before The scientists attempt to gulp down food.
article_snippet: This means that mudskippers combine the sucking method of fish with the grabbing tongue action of amphibians, so amphibians could reveal a missing evolutionary link.
highlights_snippet: Slow motion video captured by University of Antwerp researchers shows mudskippers eat on land with the help of a glob of water .
  