Fish cognition and behavior

The study of animal cognition has been largely confined to birds and mammals, a historical bias which has led to the belief that learning plays little or no part in the development of behaviour in fishes and reptiles. Research in recent decades has begun to redress this misconception and it is now recognised that fishes exhibit a rich array of sophisticated behaviour with impressive learning capabilities entirely comparable with those of mammals and other terrestrial animals.In this fascinating book an international team of experts have been brought together to explore all major areas of fish learning, including:foraging skillsPredator recognitionSocial organisation and learningWelfare and painFish Cognition and Behavior is an important contribution to all fish biologists and ethologists and contains much information of commercial importance for fisheries managers and aquaculture personnel. Libraries in universities and research establishments will find it an important addition to their shelves.

Foreword by Tony Pitcher.

1. Fish cognition and behaviour (Culum Brown, Kevin Laland & Jens Krause).

1.2 Introduction.

1.3 Acknowledgements.

1.4 References.

2. Learning of foraging skills by fish (Kevin Warburton).

2.1 Introduction.

2.2 Some factors affecting the learning process.

2.2.1 Reinforcement.

2.2.1 Drive.

2.2.3 Stimulus attractiveness.

2.2.4 Exploration and sampling.

2.2.5 Attention and simple association.

2.2.6 Cognition.

2.3 Patch use and probability matching.

2.4 Performance.

2.5 Tracking environmental variation.

2.6 Competition.

2.7 Learning and fish feeding: Some applications.

2.8 Conclusions.

2.9 Acknowledgments.

2.10 References.

3. Learned defences and counter defences in predator prey interactions (Anne Magurran & Jennifer Kelly).

3.1 Introduction.

3.2 The predator prey sequence.

3.2.1 Avoidance.

3.2.1.1 Avoiding dangerous habitats.

3.2.1.2 Changing activity patterns.

3.2.2 Detection.

3.2.2.1 Crypsis.

3.2.2.2 Sensory perception.

3.2.3 Recognition.

3.2.3.1 Associative learning.

3.2.3.2 Learning specificity.

3.2.3.3 Search images.

3.2.3.4 Aposematism and mimicry.

3.2.4 Approach.

3.2.4.1 Pursuit deterrence.

3.2.4.2 Gaining information about the predator.

3.2.4.3 Social learning.

3.2.4.4 Habituation.

3.2.5 Evasion.

3.2.5.1 Reactive distance and escape speed.

3.2.5.2 Survival benefits.

3.3 Summary and discussion.

3.4 Acknowledgements.

3.5 References.

4. Learning about Danger: chemical alarm cues and the assessment of predation risk by fishes (Grant Brown & Douglas P Chivers).

4.1 Introduction.

4.2 Chemical alarm cues and flexible responses.

4.3 Temporal variability and the intensity of antipredator behaviour.

4.4 Predator diet cues and risk assessment during predator inspection.

4.5 Acquired predator recognition.

4.6 Constraints on learning.

4.7 Heterospecific responses.

4.8 Concluding Remarks.

4.9 Acknowledgements.

4.10 References.

5. Learning & Mate Choice (Klaudia Witte).

5.1 Introduction.

5.2 Sexual imprinting.

5.2.1 Sexual imprinting in fishes.

5.2.2 Does sexual imprinting promote sympatric speciation in fish?

5.3 Learning after reaching maturity.

5.3.1 Learning when living in sympatry or allopatry.

5.3.2 Learned recognition of colour morphs in mate choice.

5.4 Eavesdropping.

5.4.1 Eavesdropping and mate choice.

5.4.2 The audience effect.

5.4.3 Benefits of eavesdropping.

5.5 Mate choice copying.

5.5.1 Mate choice copying first experimental evidence and consequence.

5.5.2 Mate choice copying Evidence from the wild.

5.5.3 Copying mate rejection.

5.5.4 The disruption hypothesis an alternative explanation to mate choice copying?.

5.6 Social mate preferences overriding genetic preferences.

5.6.1 Indication from guppies.

5.6.2 Indications from sailfin mollies.

5.7 Cultural evolution through mate choice copying.

5.8 Does mate choice copying support the evolution of a novel male trait?.

5.8.1 Female preference for swords.

5.8.2 Theoretical approaches.

5.8.3 Experimental...

Fish biologists, animal behaviorists (ethologists), fisheries managers and scientists, aquatic ecologists, aquaculture personnel, ecologists. Upper level undergraduate students and graduate students.