Tiny fish found to have sophisticated self-awareness only ever seen in some humans

Tiny fish found to ‘check its body size in the mirror before getting into fights’

Nilima Marshall
19 hours ago



A bluestreak cleaner wrasse in a fish tank looking at its own reflection in the mirror (Osaka Metropolitan University/PA Wire)


A small tropical fish may possess a sophisticated type of self-awareness only ever seen in humans, scientists have said.

Researchers have discovered that the bluestreak cleaner wrasse – which are about the size of a human finger – will check its body size in a mirror before deciding whether or not to “attack” other fish.

It means the fish can not only recognise its own reflection but may also have an internal awareness of their own bodies.

Researchers led by a team at Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan said the findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, provide “important clues” on how self-awareness evolved.

Taiga Kobayashi, a researcher at Osaka Metropolitan University, said: “The results that fish can use the mirror as a tool can help clarify the similarities between human and non-human animal self-awareness.”

More:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/fish-mirror-self-recognition-test-b2610760.html