Humans fart, and so do animals. When the digestive system breaks down food, gases like hydrogen sulphide and methane can be produced. To relieve the pressure that builds up in the intestines, the body releases these gases in the form of fart. However, do not assume that farting is just some bodily function. There are animals that use it to communicate, scare off predators, or even as a tool to catch prey. Behind the symphony of farts lies a surprising key to survival.
Fart Signalsin the Deep
Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) is a commercially important species found in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. They are known for forming massive schools that can number in the hundreds of thousands. These fish swim in school, rely on their strength in numbers to fend off large predators. However, staying in formation becomes tricky in the dark of night. Thus, the herring store a large amount of air in their bodies and by persistently releasing it after sunset, they produce a series of farts that help them gauge the distance between companions, keeping the school in sync. This unique form of “fart communication” operates at an ultra-high frequency, detectable only by marine creatures with exceptionally sharp hearing. By using these high-pitched signals, the herring minimise the risk of alerting predators to their presence.
Air-Powered Defense
In Cantonese slang, the phrase “never seen a snake pee” pokes fun at someone easily shocked by ordinary things, implying that they are inexperienced oroverly sheltered. Spotting a snake relieving itself might not be so rare, but seeing one fart? Now that’s a spectacle! The Arizona Coral Snake (Micruroides euryxanthus), a venomous species native to the Americas, is not the quickest mover despite its deadly bite. When threatened, it quickly expands its cloaca to suckin air, then forcefully expels it, creating a noise that sounds remarkably likea fart. Scientists call this defence mechanism “cloacal popping”. Though not physically harmful, the sudden, startling noise is often enough to spook predators, giving this slow-moving snake a crucial window to make its escape.
Toxic Fart Bombs
While human farts do contain hydrogen sulphide, a toxic gas, the concentration is far too low to cause any real harm. Not so for the Beaded Lacewing (Lomamyia latipennis) larvae, whose toxic gas emissions can be a deadly weapon! Their farts release allelo chemicals, which are toxic compounds capable of paralysing their termite prey within minutes. With just one noxious puff, these Beaded Lacewing larvae can incapacitate multiple large termites, effortlessly turning their prey into a feast. Talk about hunting efficiency!
