Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    TopBuzzMagazine.com
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    • Home
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Music
    • Fashion
    • Books
    • Science
    • Technology
    • Cover Story
    • Contact
      • About
      • Amazon Disclaimer
      • Terms and Conditions
      • Privacy Policy
      • DMCA / Copyrights Disclaimer
    TopBuzzMagazine.com
    Home»Science»Rubbing against coral seems to be a popular skin treatment
    Science

    Rubbing against coral seems to be a popular skin treatment

    By AdminJuly 30, 2022
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Bottlenose dolphins appear to seek out certain corals and sponges that produce compounds with antibacterial or hormone-like properties

    Life 19 May 2022

    By Alex Wilkins

    Dolphins may be treating their own wounds and infections by rubbing themselves against corals and sea sponges that have antibacterial properties.

    Many marine mammals, such as orcas and beluga whales, rub their bodies against underwater materials like sand, pebbles or limestone, perhaps to help shed the outer layers of their skin in the summer. But similar behaviour has been less well studied in dolphins.

    Angela Ziltener at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and her colleagues filmed Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in the Red Sea off Egypt queueing up to rub against specific corals and sea sponges.

    They noticed that the dolphins would repeatedly rub certain body parts on the corals and sponges and that some of the corals released mucus as the dolphins swam past, so they suspected the animals might be self-medicating.

    Advertisement

    “They always come back to the same organism and they are really rubbing different body parts on them,” says Ziltener. “It’s not observed in sand or in seagrass, for example; it’s a different behaviour. [They’re] queueing up and waiting for their turn.”

    A dolphin with a fungal infection on its dorsal fin

    Angela Ziltener

    The researchers took samples of gorgonian coral (Rumphella aggregata), leather coral (Sarcophyton sp.) and a sea sponge (Ircinia sp.), then analysed them using a high-resolution spectrometer in the lab to identify chemicals in the samples. They found 17 bioactive compounds with antibacterial, antioxidant or hormone-like properties.

    Ziltener and her team think the dolphins may seek out these specific corals and sponges to help keep their skin healthy and perhaps treat bacterial infections. However, we can’t yet be sure whether the behaviour has a medicinal purpose.

    Jason Bruck at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas suggests the next step should be to look more closely at the dolphins’ behaviour to see whether they really are selective about which body parts they rub on which materials.

    “I also would encourage work looking at how these compounds affect the very unique skin structure of dolphins,” he says. “Dolphins replace their outermost skin layer, at most, every two hours – a rate nine times faster than that of humans. This unique dermal anatomy and physiology means we cannot assume the medicinal effects of the corals would be the same for dolphins as they would be for us.”

    Journal reference: iScience, DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104271

    Sign up to Wild Wild Life, a free monthly newsletter celebrating the diversity and science of animals, plants and Earth’s other weird and wonderful inhabitants

    More on these topics:

    Read The Full Article Here

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Related Posts

    Science history: Invention of the transistor ushers in the computing era — Oct. 3, 1950

    October 3, 2025

    Antarctica may have crossed a tipping point that leads to rising seas

    October 2, 2025

    Viewing teens more positively may help their school performance and strengthen family bonds

    October 2, 2025

    Bering Land Bridge emerged much later than we thought it did, new study finds

    October 1, 2025

    We finally know why a belly button becomes an ‘innie’

    October 1, 2025

    Plant receptors for nitrogen-fixing bacteria evolved independently at least three times, study reveals

    September 30, 2025
    popular posts

    Business Partners Turn Lovers While Starting Up A Matchmaking App

    City moths may have evolved smaller wings due to light

    Lizzo, Lil Nas X, and Other Stars Who Wore Black

    Book Review: Imagining a Radical New Relationship with the Mississippi

    ‘The Consultant’: Christoph Waltz Is a Boss From Hell in

    Parker Solar Probe Completes 11th Close Flyby of Sun

    Interview with Jocelyn A

    Categories
    • Books (3,447)
    • Cover Story (8)
    • Events (19)
    • Fashion (2,547)
    • Interviews (45)
    • Movies (2,747)
    • Music (3,031)
    • News (161)
    • Politics (6)
    • Science (4,597)
    • Technology (2,742)
    • Television (3,472)
    • Uncategorized (932)
    Archives
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube Reddit TikTok
    © 2025 Top Buzz Magazine. All rights reserved. All articles, images, product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement unless specified. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie SettingsAccept
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT