Abstract
The ability of prey to observe and learn to recognize potential predators from the behaviour of nearby individuals can dramatically increase survival and, not surprisingly, is widespread across animal taxa. A range of sensory modalities are available for this learning, with visual and chemical cues being well-established modes of transmission in aquatic systems. The use of other sensory cues in mediating social learning in fishes, including mechano-sensory cues, remains unexplored. Here, we examine the role of different sensory cues in social learning of predator recognition, using juvenile damselfish (Amphiprion percula). Specifically, we show that a predator-naive observer can socially learn to recognize a novel predator when paired with a predator-experienced conspecific in total darkness. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that when threatened, individuals release chemical cues (known as disturbance cues) into the water. These cues induce an anti-predator response in nearby individuals; however, they do not facilitate learnt recognition of the predator. As such, another sensory modality, probably mechano-sensory in origin, is responsible for information transfer in the dark. This study highlights the diversity of sensory cues used by coral reef fishes in a social learning context.
Highlights
To counter the threat of predation, prey individuals have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to assess risk using visual, olfactory, tactile and auditory cues [1,2]
In the absence of light, social learning of predator recognition can still occur in damselfish
–25 light dark predator-naive demonstrator light dark predator-experienced demonstrator demonstrator experience and light condition indicates that visual information—the sight of a frightened conspecific—is not a necessary cue to mediate learning
Summary
To counter the threat of predation, prey individuals have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to assess risk using visual, olfactory, tactile and auditory cues [1,2]. The behaviour of 60 fish in each of the two treatments was recorded, with these individuals later used as predator-naive (control) and predator-experienced (experimental) demonstrators in the social learning stage. Following the final observation period, the demonstrator from stage A was dipped in clean seawater to remove any potential cues, transferred to another observation tank housing an acclimated naive individual (hereafter, the observer). The effect of demonstrator experience (naive versus experienced), light condition during stage B (light versus dark) and stage C cue (control or experimental stimulus) on the anti-predator response of observers was assessed using a 2 Â 2 Â 2 MANOVA. After 2 min, 60 ml of tank water containing predator odour and possible disturbance cue was drawn up the stimulus injection tube and retained This stage determined whether naive observers respond to the disturbance cues of conspecifics. Inspection of residuals revealed that the data followed parametric assumptions
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