Why are dominant lobsters more ready to fight than subordinate lobsters?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

red deer stags (Cervus elaphus) — Aggressive behaviour A pair of red deer stags (*Cervus elaphus*) competing for possession of a female in the rutting season.

Dominant lobsters are more ready to fight than subordinates due to the neuroendocrine regulation of their central nervous system, specifically involving the neurohormone serotonin.1

In lobsters, serotonin promotes dominant postures and increases the willingness to engage in aggressive behavior, while the neurohormone octopamine induces submissive postures. The activation of serotonergic neurons is facilitated in dominant animals, leading to higher levels of serotonin release, whereas this process is suppressed in subordinate animals due to input from higher centers in the nervous system. Consequently, when serotonin levels are experimentally increased in subordinate lobsters, their willingness to fight also increases. This mechanism demonstrates how an animal's social status directly influences the neural systems that modulate aggressive responses.1