Tuesday January 13, 2026
Smithsonian Magazine —
The rockhead poacher is an odd fish whose name might hold dual meanings. The tiny creature is covered in bony armor and has a lumpy, rock-shaped head with a relatively large pit. Researchers have come up with several possible purposes for the hole in this fish’s head, including helping with camouflage, enhancing its hearing or aiding interactions with the environment in some other way.
Now, a fish biologist who took detailed CT scans of the rockhead, or deep-pitted, poacher may have found the answer. The weird animal might use its ribs like drumsticks on the cavity to rock out, making percussive noises that help it communicate with other creatures. Daniel Geldof of Louisiana State University described the findings in his master’s thesis presented late last year.