Fish may be as clever as primates, scientists now suspect, after new footage showed octopus and grouper fish communicating and collaborating to catch prey.

The astonishing partnership was captured for the first time by filmmakers shooting on the Great Barrier Reef for BBC Blue Planet II.

Grouper and octopus hunt the same small fish which dart in and out of the coral, and often hide in crevices which are too small for the grouper to follow.

But the larger fish has come up with an extraordinary solution. After chasing a fish into a crevice, it turns slightly paler to attract the octopus’ attention, before standing on its head and wiggling its tail to signal that a meal is hiding in the hole.