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It turns out solitary octopuses actually like to partake in multi-species hunting parties. They join fish on their revels and have even been caught disciplining unruly hunting companionsTracking 13 mixed-species hunting groups, Max Planck Institute behavioral ecologist Eduardo Sampaio and colleagues found a surprising level of sophistication in the way octopuses and fish hunt together in groups.
Analyzing footage from 120 hours of diving revealed different species contributed unique skills to the interspecies hunting party. The fish, such as the goatfish ). Sounds as if they earned it, though, as the groupers tended not to contribute much to the group and instead loitered opportunistically nearby to exploit the work of the rest of the team.
"The exhibited range of partner-dependent behavioral flexibility, especially concerning the use of social information when deciding to switch foraging strategies and whom and when to punch, indicates that day octopuses have hallmarks of social competence and cognition," the researchers"These results broaden our understanding of leadership and sociality, emphasizing the complexity and adaptability of social interactions in nature,"...
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