'Handedness' in scale-eating fish: Nature and nurture

(Nagoya University) Lateralized behaviors are thought to be strengthened during development; however, little is known about how they are acquired during development. In the scale-eating cichlid model, Nagoya University-based researchers demonstrated the attack side preference of juveniles was developed with scale-eating experience, regardless of age. They also found that kinetics of attack behavior is superior on one side by nature. Therefore, they concluded that the fish learn to use the naturally dominant side through experience.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: news