Behavior pattern of animals

Behavior pattern of animals

• 1.
  Behavioural Pattern There aremillionsof differentspeciesof animals,andeachspeciesbehavessomewhatdifferently. Nevertheless,there are commonpatternsof behaviorexhibitedbymanyspecies,andafew behavior patternsthat are exhibitedbyall species.Since all speciesneedtoreproduce,eat,andtrynot to be eatenbysomeone else,all speciesexhibitsome type of reproductive behavior,foraging(eating) behavior,anddefensivebehavior.Overtime, natural selectionhasalsofavoredotherbehaviorpatterns that helpspecies Reproductive Behavior: Althoughsome animalsare able to reproduce asexually(suchassome insectsandafew speciesof lizards),mostanimalsmustfinda mate in orderto reproduce.Inmanycases,one of the individuals,usuallythe male,triesto attract a mate by performingacourtship display.Thisisoftenavisual display,asisthe case withthe peacockand manyspeciesof coral reef fish.Studieshave shownthatthe femalesselectmalespartlyonthe basisof their courtshipdisplays.Scientistsbelievethat vigorousandbrightlycoloreddisplaysmightsignal tothe femalethatthe male isstrongand healthy. Thus,matingbehaviorplaysanimportantrole indeterminingwhichgenesgetpassedontothe next generation. Foraging Behavior: Animalsexhibitseveral differenttypesof foraging behavior.Some animalsare quite selectiveinwhat theyeat.These animalsare calledforaging specialists.Forexample,the dietof the lynx consists primarilyof snowshoe hares.Some speciesof insectsfeedonlyonasingle plantspecies;theyare the ultimate feedingspecialists.Otheranimalsare generalists,eatingawide varietyof foodtypes.An example of aforaginggeneralistis the opossum,
• 2.
  whicheatseverythingfrominsectsandberriestogarbage.Itis thoughtthat naturalselectionhas favoredmanyanimalstoforage inan efficientmanner.Thismeansthatthe animalsmake feeding choicesthatmaximize the amountof energythey canobtaininthe shortesttime possible.Thistype of foraging,sometimesreferredtoas"optimal foraging,"leavesthe animal withmore time andenergyfor otherimportantactivities,suchasfindingamate or caringfor offspring. Defensive Behavior Virtuallyall animalsare vulnerable topredation(beingeatenbyanotheranimal) atleastsome time duringtheirlives.Evenwolvesandlionscanbe preyforotheranimalswhentheyare veryyoung.Asa result,animalsfromwormstowhaleshave evolvedwaystoreduce the likelihoodtheyare eaten.This behavior,oftenreferredtoasdefensive,orantipredator,behavior,cantake manyforms.Some animals, such as many moths and lizards, try to blend in with their surroundings so the predator cannot see them. Thisis calledcrypticbehavior.Otherspecieshave evolvedeffectiveescape behaviors,suchasfast- runningantelope andfast-swimmingfish.Othersfightbackwithstingingorbitingbehavior.Inmany cases,preycan deterpredatorswitha threat display.Threatdisplaysare special behaviors that tell the predatorthatthe prey mayfight back ferociously.A raccoonthat baresits teethandgrowlswhencorneredbya predatorisgivingsucha threatdisplay. CommunicationBehavior: As illustratedabove, effective communication behaviorisvital foran animal.Besidescommunicatingwithsightandsound,some animals communicate usingchemicals.Forexample,male mothsfindmatesbydetectingspecial chemicals calledpheromonesthatthe femalesreleaseintothe air.Antsalsouse pheromonestodetermineif anotherant isan intruderor a memberof the colony.
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  Territorial Behavior: Settingupand maintainingaterritoryisanother commonpatternofbehaviorexhibitedbymany speciesof insects,fish,birds,reptiles,andmammals. Territoriesare usedfora varietyof purposes,including feeding,mating,andcaringforoffspring.The territory ownernormallytriestokeepotherindividualsof its speciesoutof the territory. Dispersal andsocial behavior: Otherpatternsof behaviorinclude dispersalbehavior,exhibitedwhenindividualsmove awayfromthe area inwhichtheywere born,andmany typesof social behavior.Social behaviorisparticularly commonin animalsthatlive ingroups,suchas ants, penguins,andprimates.Inall cases,scientistsbelieve that these patternsof behaviorhave evolvedover time because theyhave increasedthe abilityof animalstosurvive andreproduce.