Animals Clam Dancing

　　Although it is probably not possible to underrate[1] the intelligence of clams, their athletic skills apparently deserve more respect. Olaf Ellers, a marine invertebrate biomechanic professor at the University of California, has found that some clams jump out of the sand and ride the waves.
　　During a rising tide, Ellers observed clams in the sand jump in front of a breaking wave and then ride the churning[2] water up the beach. The clams chose only the waves that would carry them farthest---a strategy that no doubt saves them energy. But how do they pick the waves? In an aquarium in his lab, Ellers played them wave sounds and found that most jumps coincided[3] with the pre-arrival rumble of the loudest waves. Ellers guesses the clams may sense the vibrations with small, hairlike cilia on their head.

跳舞的蛤蜊

　　我们不一定会低估蛤蜊的智商，然而它们非凡的运动能力显然能赢得更多的赞叹。Olaf Ellers是加利福尼亚大学海洋无脊椎动物生物力学教授，他发现某些蛤蜊能跃出沙堆骑浪嬉戏。

　　Olaf Ellers注意到浪涌之时，蛤蜊会趁着浪花碎开之前跃出沙堆，然后乘着翻滚的浪涛跃上海滩。蛤蜊只选择那些能将它们带到最远处的浪头——毫无疑问这是一种省力的策略。然而它们如何进行选择呢？ 在Olaf Ellers的实验室里摆放着一个鱼缸，他放出带有波涛声响的录音，结果发现蛤蜊的大多数跳跃动作都发生在最响的波涛声到达之前。Olaf Ellers猜测，蛤蜊也许是用它们头上的细小纤毛感触震动吧。