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Animalia >Chordata >Osteichthyes >Gasterosteiformes >Gasterosteidae >Gasterosteus >

During the reproductive season, a male three-spined stickleback prepares a nest and defends the area surrounding it (a territory). The male chases away any intruding males by directing aggression toward them: opening its mouth and rushing toward them. Territorial males use vision to detect intruders. When a mirror is placed within a territory of a nest-guarding male, the male shows aggression toward the own image reflected in the mirror.

We put a mirror close to a male territory in the wild and recorded the male response. The mirror was a one-way mirror and was attached to an underwater video camera. The latter half of this video picture was shot underwater. When attacking the image in the mirror, the male opens the mouth widely and erects dorsal and anal spines, which usually are depressed along the body.

(This video picture was prepared by 'Friends of Fukui City Museum of Natural History during a project 'Educational Videos on the Three-spined Stickleback.' http://www.nature.museum.city.fukui.fukui.jp/friends/itoyo/)
(translated by Asoh)

(Data No.momo050708ga02b)

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