Meal deal
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Dr Lexa Grutter, from UQ’s School of Integrative Biology, and Dr Redouan Bshary, from the Swiss University of Neuchatel’s Department of Zoology, have been researching the synergy between cleaner fish and client fish.
The researchers have found that client fish eavesdrop to determine the trustworthiness of cleaner fish, and cleaner fish in turn behave altruistically to be considered more trustworthy.
Dr Grutter said the interactions between the cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus and its client fish were a well-known example of mutually beneficial behaviour involving different species.
Cleaners may cooperate and remove parasites from client fish; however they may also cheat by feeding on client mucus, which they prefer. As such, there is a temptation for cleaners to cheat.
“Our experiments suggest image scoring is one of several alternative mechanisms used by clients to avoid exploitation by cheating cleaners,” Dr Grutter said.
“Given a choice, clients preferred to spend more time with a cleaner that behaved cooperatively than with a cleaner whose cooperative level was unknown.
“We have also seen complicated behaviours in cleaner fish where the benefit of cooperation was not reciprocated directly, but instead gave them a better reputation.
“Previously there was only evidence that humans were capable of this behaviour, so to show it in fish as the first other animal was incredible.”
