Posted on 06/10/2025 5:13:15 AM PDT by Red Badger
Social control within spotties goes hand in hand with the overall body size.
A female spotty/paketi (an endemic species of wrasse) in the Gemmell Lab at the University of Otago. - Gemmell Lab
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Researchers at the University of Otago have discovered that the New Zealand spotty fish, or paketi, can begin displaying dominant behaviors just minutes after a shift in their social order, well before their bodies begin changing sex.
The study highlights how quickly social hierarchies can influence this remarkable species’ behavior and even biological transitions.
“The aggressive behaviors (called ‘rushes’) involved the dominant fish swimming rapidly towards subordinate individuals,” said lead author Haylee Quertermous.
“Sometimes the dominant fish will physically contact the subordinates, including biting them, usually around their tail and fins. These aggressive behaviors usually accompany the subordinate swimming away (‘escaping’) from the dominant fish.”
Instant shift in social dynamics The paketi is a sequential hermaphrodite, meaning it can change from female to male after adulthood. This transformation is socially induced, particularly when the group’s dominant male gets removed.
While the full physiological transition takes weeks, “in many of the tanks, second-ranked fish increased their aggression within just a few minutes after removal of the dominant fish,” noted Quertermous.
A rise in aggression accompanies this transformation, for example, rapidly swimming towards less dominant fish or making contact by biting the tail or fins. These are part of the actions performed by the dominant male and are designed to bolster the new hierarchy almost immediately after a vacancy occurs.
Such a quick change in behavior raises concerns regarding the difference that has traditionally been made between male and female behavior in fish, considering that no relation exists between the sexes in fish. In the case of clownfish, these shifts are performed by a female who becomes a male. Unlike them, paketi demonstrate the context dependency of dominance in sex changing species by shifting from female to male.
Social control within spotties goes hand in hand with the overall body size. Larger individuals easily assume dominance and so is the chance of sex change. Once the top fish in command is removed, the next in line, usually second largest, rapidly displays dominant behaviors signaling their eagerness to exploit any change in order.
Broader implications
These outcomes provide valuable implications regarding the anatomy of Paketi and the more general issues concerning the intersection of social systems and animal actions and tendencies.
The brain region described as a social choice network indicates that behavioral adaptability lies within an organism’s nature, modified by surroundings and social conditions.
“They also highlight the importance of social context in shaping individual behavior, shedding light on the evolution of social behavior and the flexibility of brain mechanisms in adapting to changing social environments,” said the researchers.
“The research has broader implications for understanding social dynamics in other species, even humans.”
The study has been published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
That spot sure looks like a hole.
USAID should spend billions researching this biology for transgender dominance.
Then they can teach human insane trans people how to seize power and control.
The Rush is on or did you notice? ( sarc.)
A few drops of iodine into the tank will take care of these fish.
Expensive study to show “shit rolls downhill”.
Sheesh, anthropomorphize much...
So fishes has Bull Dykes?
It’s a Holey Mackerel...................
Scientific researchers oughtta shift into overdrive on this. Identify the mechanism that causes the paketis to change sexes, and they can make zillions selling it to the Democrats.
And think of the military applications! Bombard the enemy with it and presto! They’re all girls!
I see that there are still useless expenditures still being funded.
The stupidity of some in academia will want to try to translate this into what’s possible for humans.
Some reptiles can switch sexes as well....................
"Hi. Muh name's Alice, I got muh own security business."
"Hi. Muh name's Alice, I got muh own security business." ....................
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