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Unusual synchronization of Red Sea fish energy expenditures
Author(s) -
Stone Lewi,
He DaiHai,
Becker K.,
Fishelson Lev
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1461-0248.2003.00401.x
Subject(s) - synchronization (alternating current) , fish <actinopterygii> , phase synchronization , biology , ecology , fishery , environmental science , zoology , phase (matter) , physics , mathematics , topology (electrical circuits) , combinatorics , quantum mechanics
The highly gregarious goat fish Parupeneus forskalii found in the Red Sea at Eilat, Israel exhibit highly synchronous swimming and feeding activity. Five fish were studied under controlled conditions and highly resolved time‐series of their energy expenditures were measured. All fish demonstrated strong phase synchronization in that their activity levels, although erratic in time and intensity, were collectively coordinated and peaked simultaneously together. The synchronization of these wildly varying, and possibly chaotic signals of energy expenditures, were quantified using phase analysis. We suggest that, ecologically, this collective synchronization is a strategy that increases food‐catch.