An effective evasion strategy allows prey to survive encounters with predators. Prey are generally thought to escape in a direction that is either random or serves to maximize the minimum distance from the predator. Here we introduce a comprehensive approach to determine the most likely evasion strategy among multiple hypotheses and the role of biomechanical constraints on the escape response of prey fish. Through a consideration of six strategies with sensorimotor noise and previous kinematic measurements, our analysis shows that zebrafish larvae generally escape in a direction orthogonal to the predator's heading. By sensing only the predator's heading, this orthogonal strategy maximizes the distance from fast-moving predators, and, when operating within the biomechanical constraints of the escape response, it provides the best predictions of prey behavior among all alternatives. This work demonstrates a framework for resolving the strategic basis of evastion in predator-prey interactions, which could be applied to a broad diversity of animals.
翻译:有效的逃生策略可以让猎物在遭遇食肉动物时幸存下来。 通常认为食肉动物逃逸的方向要么是随机的,要么是尽量扩大与食肉动物的最低距离。 在这里,我们引入了一种全面的方法,以确定多种假设中最有可能的逃逸策略,以及生物机能限制对猎食鱼类逃逸反应的作用。 通过考虑六种策略,加上感官动静和先前的动能测量,我们的分析表明斑马鱼幼虫一般会向食肉动物的方向逃逸。通过只感测食食肉动物的方向,这种正方位策略使与快速移动的食肉动物的距离最大化,当在逃逸反应的生物机能限制内操作时,它提供了所有替代鱼类捕食行为的最佳预测。 这项工作展示了解决食肉动物相互作用蒸发战略基础的框架,可以适用于广泛的动物多样性。