Max Planck, German scientists from the Institute of Animal Community, found that wild fish could recognize individuals and even follow them. The study was published scientifically magazine Letters of Biology (Biolets).
The discovery was made during experiments at a science station in the Mediterranean. Experts, local fish, especially the sea chip, previously fed individual divers said.
In order to check if the marine animals really know how to distinguish between people, the team tested, and in the meantime, with individual equipment, two divers swam in different directions.
At first, it turned out that the fish followed both divers, but the second day creatures began to choose those who gave them food.
When the divers put them in the same equipment, the fish stopped distinguishing people. The observation confirmed that animals focused on visual signs.
For the first time, the study confirmed that wild fish can recognize people according to visual characteristics. Previously, such abilities were seen only among the fish grown under captivity, for example among the sprayers who recognized human faces on the computer screen.
Scientists suggest that fish can pay attention to thinner details such as hair or hands.
Discovery shows that fish, like many other animals, have complex social interactions with representatives of other species.
Previously, scientists First He found signs of self -refrigeration in animals that were not related to people.