Subj : Tiny fish surprise scientists in 'volunt To : All From : ScienceDaily Date : Wed Jul 12 2023 22:30:28 Tiny fish surprise scientists in 'volunteer's dilemma' Date: July 12, 2023 Source: University of Exeter Summary: Tiny fish called Trinidadian guppies have surprised scientists when faced with the so-called 'volunteer's dilemma'. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email ========================================================================== FULL STORY ========================================================================== Tiny fish called Trinidadian guppies have surprised scientists when faced with the so-called "volunteer's dilemma." The idea of the dilemma is that individuals are less likely to cooperate if they are in a large group. Various studies have demonstrated this in humans -- but guppies appear to buck the trend. In the new study, by the University of Exeter, guppies in larger groups were more likely to risk approaching a predator to gather information for the shoal. "When faced with a possible predator, guppies have to balance risks," said Rebecca Padget, from Exeter's Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour. "At least one guppy needs to approach, to find out if there is a threat. "An individual that does this could get eaten. However, if none of the guppies take this risk, the whole group is in danger. "In this 'volunteer's dilemma', mathematical models suggest that individuals in larger groups should be less willing to cooperate. "In a larger group, there's more chance another guppy will take the risk." To test this, the researchers placed a clay model of a pike cichlid (a natural predator of guppies) in a tank containing small (5), medium (10) and large (20) groups of guppies. Surprisingly, guppies in the large groups were most likely to approach and inspect the predator. Individuals in large groups inspected an average of 14 times in the seven- minute trials. Guppies in medium groups were least likely to approach -- going an average of seven times each. Members of these medium groups also spent the most time in "refuges" (behind plants or near the gravel at the edge of the tank). "We can't be sure why guppies in large groups cooperated more," Padget said. "We know guppies have different personalities, so it could be that larger groups are more likely to contain more cooperative individuals -- and others then follow their lead." After inspecting a predator, guppies return to the group. Previous research has shown that their behaviour then signals danger to the others. In the study, an "inspection" was recorded when a guppy went within 30cm of the predator. This was usually done either by individuals or small sub-groups of the main shoal. * RELATED_TOPICS o Plants_&_Animals # Fish # Behavioral_Science # Cats # Zoology # Wild_Animals # Biology # Sea_Life # Life_Sciences * RELATED_TERMS o Haddock o Game_theory o Adenoid o Pufferfish o Deep_sea_fish o Fish_farming o Salmon o Population_dynamics_of_fisheries ========================================================================== Print Email Share ========================================================================== ****** 1 ****** ***** 2 ***** **** 3 **** *** 4 *** ** 5 ** Breaking this hour ========================================================================== * Salinity_Changes_Threatening_Marine_Ecosystems * Plastic_Pollution_On_Reefs_Mostly_from_Fishing * Detailed_Map_of_the_Heart * Microplastics_Contamination_in_Lakes_and_... * Diverse_Organic_Material_On_Mars * How_the_Immune_System_Can_Alter_Our_Behavior * Ocean's_Color_Is_Changing_Due_to_Climate_Change * Start_of_Anthropocene_Epoch:_Canadian_Lake_... * Pump_Powers_Soft_Robots,_Makes_Cocktails * Rat_Poison_--_Neurotoxicant_--_In_Birds_of_Prey Trending Topics this week ========================================================================== PLANTS_&_ANIMALS Biology Nature Food EARTH_&_CLIMATE Global_Warming Environmental_Policy Environmental_Awareness FOSSILS_&_RUINS Fossils Ancient_Civilizations Cultures ========================================================================== Strange & Offbeat ========================================================================== PLANTS_&_ANIMALS Tiny_Fish_Surprise_Scientists_in_'Volunteer's_Dilemma' Capturing_the_Immense_Potential_of_Microscopic_DNA_for_Data_Storage Bees_Make_Decisions_Better_and_Faster_Than_We_Do,_for_the_Things_That_Matter_to Them EARTH_&_CLIMATE Why_There_Are_No_Kangaroos_in_Bali_(and_No_Tigers_in_Australia) Turning_Old_Maps_Into_3D_Digital_Models_of_Lost_Neighborhoods Squash_Bugs_Are_Attracted_to_and_Eat_Each_Other's_Poop_to_Stock_Their Microbiome FOSSILS_&_RUINS Giant_Stone_Artefacts_Found_on_Rare_Ice_Age_Site_in_Kent,_UK Fossils_Reveal_How_Ancient_Birds_Molted_Their_Feathers_--_Which_Could_Help Explain_Why_Ancestors_of_Modern_Birds_Survived_When_All_the_Other_Dinosaurs Died Apex_Predator_of_the_Cambrian_Likely_Sought_Soft_Over_Crunchy_Prey Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Exeter. Original written by Alex Morrison. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. ========================================================================== Journal Reference: 1. Rebecca F. B. Padget, Tim W. Fawcett, Safi K. Darden. Guppies in large groups cooperate more frequently in an experimental test of the group size paradox. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2023; 290 (2002) DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0790 ========================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230712011610.htm --- up 1 year, 19 weeks, 2 days, 10 hours, 50 minutes * Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3) .