Bifurcations and organized structures in a predator-prey model with hunting cooperation

Abstract

Abstract We report new organized structures in bi-parameter space for a nonlinear discrete predator-prey model with hunting cooperation. The intrinsic hunting cooperation among predator populations alters the dynamical behaviors of the model significantly. Especially, the stable periodic organized structures, viz. the Arnold tongues and shrimp-shaped structures in quasi-periodic and chaotic regimes exist near the boundary of Neimark-Sacker bifurcation for moderate values of the hunting cooperation parameter. Interestingly, these regular structures lead to different period-adding sequences. The transition to chaos via period-bubbling cascade near the inner boundaries of the shrimp-shaped structures is obtained. Shrimp structures maintain the universality of period 3-times self-similarity. Also, the coexistence of multiple periodic cycles and chaotic attractors with fractal basin boundaries are found owing to the hunting cooperation among the predators.