| Title |
Quantification acuity in spontaneous shoaling decisions of three-spined sticklebacks
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Animal Cognition, June 2015
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s10071-015-0884-y |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Marion Mehlis, Timo Thünken, Theo C. M. Bakker, Joachim G. Frommen |
| Abstract |
The ability to discriminate between different quantities is widespread throughout the animal kingdom, and the underlying mechanisms of quantity discrimination are currently intensely discussed. In contrast, questions elucidating the limits of quantity estimation received rather little attention so far. Here, we examined fine-tuned quantity estimation in the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in a natural context, i.e. during shoaling decisions. Wild-caught focal fish were given the spontaneous choice between two shoals which differed in group size by 1 fish (0 vs. 1, 1 vs. 2, 2 vs. 3, 3 vs. 4, 4 vs. 5, 5 vs. 6 and 6 vs. 7), based on visual assessment. The results show that sticklebacks generally prefer to shoal with the larger group. They discriminated numerical contrasts up to 6 versus 7, equalling a numerical ratio of 0.86. Preference patterns followed Weber's law, i.e. decreased with increasing numerical ratio. This pattern was found across all numerical conditions as well as within the small number range (ranging from 1 vs. 2 to 3 vs. 4). The results suggest that wild-caught three-spined sticklebacks are spontaneously able (i.e. without prior learning) to detect subtle differences in shoal sizes. Further, they confirm findings of previous studies highlighting the contribution of the analogue magnitude system to quantity estimation in fishes. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 3 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 1 | 33% |
| Unknown | 2 | 67% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 2 | 67% |
| Scientists | 1 | 33% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 38 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 1 | 3% |
| Sweden | 1 | 3% |
| Unknown | 36 | 95% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 9 | 24% |
| Student > Master | 8 | 21% |
| Student > Bachelor | 3 | 8% |
| Researcher | 3 | 8% |
| Professor | 1 | 3% |
| Other | 2 | 5% |
| Unknown | 12 | 32% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 10 | 26% |
| Psychology | 4 | 11% |
| Neuroscience | 3 | 8% |
| Environmental Science | 2 | 5% |
| Economics, Econometrics and Finance | 1 | 3% |
| Other | 3 | 8% |
| Unknown | 15 | 39% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 5. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 19 July 2022.
All research outputs
#6,641,944
of 24,326,994 outputs
Outputs from Animal Cognition
#872
of 1,531 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#72,622
of 268,280 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Animal Cognition
#14
of 38 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 24,326,994 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 72nd percentile.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 38 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 65% of its contemporaries.