Injury-mediated decrease in locomotor performance increases predation risk in schooling fish.

ABSTRACT: The costs and benefits of group living often depend on the spatial position of individuals within groups and the ability of individuals to occupy preferred positions. For example, models of predation events for moving prey groups predict higher mortality risk for individuals at the periphery and front of groups. We investigated these predictions in sardine (Sardinella aurita) schools under attack from group hunting sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) in the open ocean. Sailfish approached sardine schools about equally often from the front and rear, but prior to attack there was a chasing period in which sardines attempted to swim away from the predator. Consequently, all sailfish attacks were directed at the rear and peripheral positions of the school, resulting in higher predation risk for

SUBMITTER: Krause J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5498294 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature