Tarpon

Tarpon are ancient fish (100 million year old lineage) that combine speed with spectacular leaping ability. They can burst from water and somersault 10 feet in the air. This aerial escape serves multiple purposes: avoiding predators like sharks, dislodging parasites, and possibly oxygenating via air-breathing (tarpon can gulp air when water oxygen is low). The leap represents a dimension-shifting escape similar to flying fish but more dramatic.

The leap is both defensive and maintenance behavior. Against predators, vertical escape is unexpected - sharks aren't adapted to catch leaping prey. For parasite removal, the violent shaking during aerial acrobatics dislodges hitchhikers that underwater swimming cannot remove. The same behavior serves both functions, making the aerial capability doubly valuable.

For business, tarpon represent capabilities that serve multiple strategic functions. A strong brand provides both customer acquisition (hunting) and competitive defense (predator escape). Regulatory expertise enables both compliance (parasite removal) and competitive advantage (barriers to entry). Tarpon invest in leaping capability because it serves both offense and defense. Companies should identify capabilities that similarly serve multiple strategic purposes - these double-duty investments are more valuable than their single-function components suggest.