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August 03, 2010
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“Punisher” of the seas is a little finned janitor
Jan. 8, 2010
Courtesy Zoological Society of London
and World Science staff
For small fish known as cleaner wrasse,
stepping into the line of fire reaps huge rewards, according to a new study. Apair of cleaner wrasse,
species Labroides dimidiatus,
cleaning an Achanthurus mata client.
(Image courtesy of Gerry Allen)
Researchers from the Zoological Society of London, University of Queensland, Australia and the University of
Neuchâtel, Switzerland found that male cleaner wrasse are quick to play the hero when their dinner is at stake.
Cleaner wrasse live on coral reefs and feed on parasites that live on the skin of much larger fish. These
“clients” calmly let the cleaners nibble at them in return for the
cleansing benefits.
Wrasse can get an even bigger meal if they take some of the mucus off the skin of a client, but this “cheating” results in a disgruntled customer.
The scientists found that male wrasse will aggressively chase
female wrasse who deliver poor customer service, seemingly protecting the interests of the client when in fact they’ve got their own stomachs in mind.
“Clients will leave if they are cheated at a cleaning station. That means the male’s dinner leaves if the female cheats,” said Nichola Raihani
of the Zoological Society, lead author of the study published this week in the research journal
Science.
“By punishing cheating females, the males are not really sticking up for the clients but are making sure that they get a decent meal.”
This tendency to stick up for a victim is something that humans are prone to, but no one really knows why we do it, Raihani noted.
The study raises the possibility that “Robin Hood” type behaviour might be less charitable than we think.
The next stage of the research will concentrate on the threat posed to male fish by similar sized females who can undergo sex changes and ultimately challenge their authority, Raihani and colleagues said.
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For small fish known as cleaner wrasse, putting themselves in the line of fire reaps huge rewards, according to a new study. Researchers from the Zoological Society of London, University of Queensland, Australia and the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland found that male cleaner wrasse are quick to play the hero when their dinner is at stake. Cleaner wrasse live on coral reefs and feed on parasites that live on the skin of much larger fish. The larger fish calmly let the cleaners nibble at them in return for the benefits. Wrasse can get an even bigger meal if they take some of the mucus off the skin of a client, but this “cheating” results in a disgruntled customer. The scientists found that male wrasse will aggressively chase females who deliver poor customer service, seemingly protecting the interests of the client when in fact they’ve got their own stomachs in mind. “Clients will leave if they are cheated at a cleaning station. That means the male’s dinner leaves if the female cheats,” said Nichola Raihani from the Zoological Society of London, lead author of the study published this week in the research journal Science. “By punishing cheating females, the males are not really sticking up for the clients but are making sure that they get a decent meal.” This tendency to stick up for a victim is something that humans are prone to, but no one really knows why we do it, Raihani noted. This study raises the possibility that ‘Robin Hood’ type behaviour might be less charitable than we think. The next stage of the research will concentrate on the threat posed to male fish by similar sized females who can undergo sex changes and ultimately challenge their authority, Raihani and colleagues said.