To run the study, scientists gathered six gobies from Lake Michigan. They then rolled a bumpy plastic ring across each pectoral fin. The bumps imitated the lakebed: close-textured bumps mimicked the grittiness of sand, while spaced-out bumps mimicked gravelly pebbles. As they recorded electrical spikes from the fins’ nerves, the scientists noticed a pattern: the bumpier the ring, the more electrical spikes were produced. And when the ring sped up, so did the spikes.

All these bumps and spikes suggest that the nerves of Goby-locks’s fin fire like the nerves of us primates—a useful skill in murky waters. Can other fish feel touch the same way? The study opens the door to further research on tactile sensitivity. Goby-locks, meanwhile, continues to explore the world around her—perhaps she’ll find a lakebed that feels just right.