(单词翻译:单击)
Beneath the surface of a pond or stream it's a fish-eat-fish world, and the tiny minnow is often lunch for larger fish such as pike.
在池塘或溪流的下面是一个鱼吃鱼的世界 。小米诺鱼通常都是大鱼的午餐 。
You'd think a tasty minnow would try to remain inconspicuous, but this isn't always the case.
也许你认为美味的小米诺鱼应该藏起来,不被发觉才对,然而事情并非总是如此 。
If a minnow's skin is damaged by an attacking pike, it releases a chemical that attracts more pike.
如果一条小米诺鱼被一条梭子鱼攻击划破了皮,它就会释放出一种化学物质吸引来更多的梭子鱼 。
Why would a minnow that's already beingattacked want to attract more trouble?
为什么一只已经被攻击的小米诺鱼想要引来更多的麻烦呢?
Do injured minnows have some kind of crazy deathwish?
难道那些受伤的小米诺鱼们有某个疯狂的想死的念头吗?
This seemingly suicidal behavior is actually a clever survival strategy.
这个看似自杀性的行为实际上却是一个聪明的生存策略 。
The minnow's chemical has two distinct functions.
小米诺鱼释放的化学物质有两大显著的功能 。
First, it warns other minnows about the danger.
首先,它能警告其他小米诺鱼这里有危险 。
Minnows travel inschools with close relatives, so this chemical alarm warns the others away from potentially dangerous waters.
通常小米诺鱼和自己的近亲们成群的游动,于是这种化学警钟就可以警告其他米诺鱼远离那些潜在的危险水域 。
Even if the original minnow is eaten, its brothers and sisters will live tore produce.
即使原先的小米诺鱼被吃了,它的兄弟姐妹们也可以活下来繁殖后代 。
From a genetic standpoint, this self sacrifice makes sense.
从遗传学的角度来看,这种自杀式牺牲是可行的 。
You might wonder about the chemical's other function though–to attract more pike.
也许你会好奇这个化学物质的另一大功能—吸引更多的梭子鱼 。
A minnow's skin is most likely to be damaged in an attack from a relatively small pike.
小米诺鱼被相对较小的梭子鱼袭击时更容易被划伤皮肤,而大个儿的梭子鱼则会将米诺鱼们一口吞下 。
Larger pike simply swallow their minnows whole.
也就是说,这种化学物质将会引来比眼前攻击者还要大的梭子鱼 。
Pike have no qualms about eating other pike, so if a bigone sees a smaller pike chasing a tiny minnow, that big pike will go after the larger mouthful,allowing the minnow to escape.
梭子鱼对于吃自己的同类完全毫无顾忌,所以如果一条大梭子鱼看到一条小梭子鱼正在捕食一条小米诺鱼,大梭子鱼则会追赶小梭子鱼一饱口福,而让小米诺鱼获得一线生机 。
It's much like the end of Jurassic Park.
这一切很像《侏罗纪公园》的结局 。
The humans were about to be eaten by evil velociraptors,when the noise of their struggle summoned a bigger predator:
人类眼看着就要被可怕的暴龙们吃掉,正在这时,他们激烈的争斗声召唤出了更大的捕食者:
Tyrannosaurus Rex.
雷克斯霸王龙 。
T-rex ate the raptors, allowing the humans to escape.
雷克斯霸王龙吃掉了多伦多暴龙,而让人类逃出生天 。