I've got your back -- fishes really do look after their mates!

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-09/acoe-igy092315.php

Public Release: 25-Sep-2015
I've got your back -- fishes really do look after their mates!
ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies

When it comes to helping each other out, it turns out that some fish are better at it than previously thought.

New research from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University has found that pairs of rabbitfishes will cooperate and support each other while feeding.

While such behaviour has been documented for highly social birds and mammals, it has previously been believed to be impossible for fishes.

"We found that rabbitfish pairs coordinate their vigilance activity quite strictly, thereby providing safety for their foraging partner," says Dr Simon Brandl from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.

"In other words, one partner stays 'on guard' while the other feeds - these fishes literally watch each others' back," Dr Brandl says.

"This behaviour is so far unique among fishes and appears to be based on reciprocal cooperation between pair members."

Reciprocal cooperation, which requires an investment in a partner, which is later reciprocated, is assumed to require complex cognitive and social skills. Skills that fishes have been deemed not to have.

•••••

"Our findings should further ignite efforts to understand fishes as highly developed organisms with complex social behaviours," he says.

"This may also require a shift in how we study and ethically treat fishes."