CLEANER WRASSE CAN RECOGNIZE ITSELF IN A MIRROR, BUT IS THIS ENOUGH?
The cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)
is a small fish, averaging 10 cm long, and has become the first fish ever to pass the mirror test, a behavioural technique to determine whether a non-human animal possesses the ability of visual self-recognition.
Until now, only charismatic mammals and birds have passed the test, also in 2016, two captive manta rays were filmed checking out their reflections in a mirror, suggesting self recognition in fishes.
The mirror test is bassically a mirror with a dot or a mark, researchers can observe if the animal investigates or interacts with the mark on its own body. Passing the mirror test suggests an animal understands of that the marked reflection is a representation of its own marked body, and not just another member of its species. But, is the mirror test enough to find self-awareness in this small fish?
Self-awareness involves having a working knowledge of your own mental states, like thoughts and emotions, along with an understanding of how you physically appear; self-recognition, in contrast, is limited to knowing the latter. It’s unclear how much self-recognition implies self-awareness and more studies are needed in order to find more prove of cognitive abilities in animals.
- Reference (Open Access): Kohda et al., 2018.
Cleaner wrasse pass the mark test. What are the implications for consciousness and self-awareness testing in animals?. Biorxiv
[Image Description: Photograph of a cleaner wrasse touching a mirror with its mouth.]
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