Today we’ll talk about whether a fish has a brain. And really, can she think?
The tale of a goldfish excites many fantasies. Catch such an intelligent individual or, at worst, a pike that fulfills desires, many men dream. But, unfortunately, in nature there are no talking fish. And even “thinkers”, in the human sense, cannot be found in nature.
Does the fish have brains (brain) or not?
Of course he is present. And some lovers of sitting with a fishing rod by the river seriously consider a bad day a trick of a cunning creature. But the explanation is much simpler. The brain of a fish is responsible for its behavior at the level of instincts laid down by nature. And the fact that she does not fall on the hook, completely different circumstances are to blame.
What is the IQ of fish? It is generally accepted that this indicator depends on the ratio of the brain and body. And although life proves that exceptions are too common. Even scientists take these rules for dogma.
The ratio of body and brain sizes in fish is too diverse. In nature, there are a huge number of species of all sizes and intelligence. For example, the Nile elephant fish is recognized as the largest percentage of brain-body ratio. But can it be called smart, even if she does not get along with her relatives when there is not enough space.
If we consider the brain of fish and their body, then scientists have a place to turn around. About 30, 000 known breeds provide great scope for research in search of the smartest individual.
So do fish have a brain? What is its structure?
Any textbook of anatomy will tell you that the brain of a fish is worth one hemisphere. And only near bottom sharks is it represented by two.
It is customary to consider this organ as consisting of three parts: anterior, middle and posterior. The olfactory bulbs located in the forebrain are responsible for the recognition of odors. Because of the importance of this function, the olfactory lobes of fish are greatly increased.
The midbrain, consisting of three types of thalamus, is responsible for most of the body's functions. The visual endings are arranged by analogy with the olfactory lobes, but have an expanded function. The ability of fish to recognize the time of day is inherent in the structure of the optic nerves. There is also a body movement control center.
The cerebellum, bridge, and elongated brain make up the creature’s hind brain.
The relative simplicity of the structure provides all the vital processes of fish.
What is a fish brain for?
We have already figured out if the fish has a brain. As with any living creature, this organ is responsible for the work of organs and body. For a creature to swim, breathe, eat, he needs a brain no less than man.
Scientists have found that fish are able to remember the situation and the way out of situations. Therefore, fishermen have to look for new baits and baits for a large catch. The larger the fish, the harder it is to catch. Although this is due not to the fact that she is smarter, but to the fact that she is more experienced. Naturally, in order for the pike to grow to a meter, it will take a long time. She spends it usefully. Of course, all these concepts are conditional. What can be good for fish? It feeds and remembers how its food behaves. It gets used to places where there is enough food and there are no two-legged predators. Therefore, it’s much harder to catch such a “smart” representative of the underwater world than roach, which has a short life span.
Studies on carps have shown that fish can remember situations. Once caught, it is extremely rare to catch a second time. She is able to remember the circumstances and assess the danger. Scientists suggest the possibility of transmitting information at the gene level. It turns out that the children of the surviving fish will be able to deceive any predator. So far no one has succeeded in proving the validity of such a statement. But it is impossible to refute it. The world of underwater inhabitants is too large and diverse.
It should be concluded that fish cannot be considered intelligent creatures. At least in the sense that we take into account the presence of mind in humans and animals. It is certain that there are some rudiments of consciousness, once the fish is able to self-learn. And if we look at world history, we can assume that with a long directed development, in about a million or two years, the fish will turn into a rational creature. At least, scientists consider the element of water to be the origin of life on Earth.
Do they feel pain?
Do fish feel pain? The question is important rather for determining attitudes towards fishing. The sensation of pain is provided by nerve endings. Ichthyologists have long determined that such are on the body of the fish. And that means she is able to feel pain. There is an ethical issue. How to assess the suffering of caught fish? It is better to leave this question to the discretion of everyone, depending on personal moral qualities.
The smartest
We have already found the answer to the exciting question of whether the fish have a brain. And what is the smartest fish known to the world? This is a Comet goldfish that can play the ball. Moreover, she throws a special ball into a basketball basket and football goal, arranged in her aquarium. Dr. Pomerleo has applied his own training methodology and claims that everyone can raise a highly intelligent water resident.
Long memory
Freshwater croaker fish is able to remember a meeting with a predator for a period of several months. This conclusion was made by British scientists on the basis of studying the behavior of this species. Fishermen in this regard can also give more than one example.
Singing fish
It seems impossible to meet a singing fish in nature. And they say only in fairy tales. But scientists have identified some species that can communicate through sounds. True, this is not like speech, growl or whistling of birds. Fish talk with the special rhythm of the released bubbles. Some are able to show certain characters through the fins and gills. Naturally, the fish “hear” not with their ears, but with their bodies.
More precisely, they feel the vibration. Researchers used the ability of sound waves to propagate rapidly in an aquatic environment. The experiments carried out on ordinary crucian carp showed that you can train them to swim to the place of lunch by whistle. Enough months of training, so that the fish began to respond to the whole flock to the sound.
