The influence of early experience on escape behaviour in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

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Abstract
Guppies (Poecilia reticulata) with or without experience of being chased by adult conspecifics were exposed first to a model "aerial predator" to assess the magnitude of their escape response, then to live piscivorous fish to assess their escape ability. Early experience had some influence on response magnitude but a greater influence on escape ability. Guppies that were chased when young by adult conspecifics required significantly more attacks before they were captured than either guppies that had no experience of being chased or guppies exposed to only visual or chemical cues associated with chasing by adults. Conditioning of predator-avoidance behaviour by early exposure to chasing by potential predators may be an advantage in the physically and biotically heterogeneous environments occupied by the guppy, and chasing by adult conspecifics may provide part of the learning experience.