MARCH 23, 2016
by Brett Smith
Once we reach a certain age, we understand that the person staring
back at us from a mirror is just a reflection, and not someone else.
Several other animals, mostly primates, can also pass this “mirror
test” that is said to show self-awareness and according to a new study published
in the Journal of Ethology, manta rays might also be one of those animals.
In the study, researcher captured video of two giant manta rays
swimming in a tank, with and without a mirror inside. The fish altered their
behavior in a manner that indicated that they recognized the reflections as
themselves rather than a different manta ray.
Furthermore, the rays did not show signs of social interaction with
the image, which is what you should expect if they saw it as a different
individual. Rather, the rays consistently moved their fins and circled in front
of the mirror. This indicates they could see if their reflection moved when
they moved. The regularity of these movements was much greater when the mirror
was in the tank than when it was not, the study said.
Blowing bubbles for fun
The rays also exhibited a behavior the scientists conducting the
experiment said they had never seen before: They blew bubbles.
“The behavioral responses strongly imply the ability for
self-awareness, especially considering that similar, or analogous, behavioral
responses are considered proof of self-awareness in great apes,” study
author Csilla Ari, a physiology
researcher at the University of South Florida in Tampa, told New
Scientist.
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