Ethogram for blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus)
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Abstract
The chondrichthyan lineage diverged from the osteichthyan line around 440 million years ago, resulting in a vast evolutionary gulf between modern elasmobranchs and other vertebrates. Though this has supported the assumption that as an ancient line, elasmobranchs are dangerously stupid, intelligent actions including social interactions have been noted in the field, while laboratory studies have confirmed a variety of cognitive capacities. Yet, due to fear of sharks and the difficulties of observing them in their aquatic environments, few ethological studies have been done, so their natural behaviour remains little known. On noting that the blacktip reef shark, Carcharhinus melanopterus, displayed complex actions during incidental meetings, a long-term ethological study of the species was carried out on the north shore of Moâorea Island, French Polynesia. During the 6.5 years of the study, new behaviours continued to present. The 35 context-specific actions identified as comprising the behavioural repertoire of C. melanopterus are described.
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Ethogram for blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus)
In: BehaviourSearch for other papers by Ila F. Porcher in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
The chondrichthyan lineage diverged from the osteichthyan line around 440 million years ago, resulting in a vast evolutionary gulf between modern elasmobranchs and other vertebrates. Though this has supported the assumption that as an ancient line, elasmobranchs are dangerously stupid, intelligent actions including social interactions have been noted in the field, while laboratory studies have confirmed a variety of cognitive capacities. Yet, due to fear of sharks and the difficulties of observing them in their aquatic environments, few ethological studies have been done, so their natural behaviour remains little known. On noting that the blacktip reef shark, Carcharhinus melanopterus, displayed complex actions during incidental meetings, a long-term ethological study of the species was carried out on the north shore of Moâorea Island, French Polynesia. During the 6.5 years of the study, new behaviours continued to present. The 35 context-specific actions identified as comprising the behavioural repertoire of C. melanopterus are described.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 2456 | 645 | 34 |
| Full Text Views | 495 | 36 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 724 | 67 | 0 |
