Observe the aggressive social behavior of territorial perciform jawfish fighting over burrow proximity
Two jawfish (family Opistognathidae) engaging in a territorial dispute.
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Transcript
NARRATOR: Jawfish defend their territories aggressively. They live in burrows that they dig and fortify with stones.
When a newcomer builds its burrow too close to another, the resident jawfish tries to drive off the trespasser.
The first step in this campaign is to steal the stones from the interloper's burrow and use them to build up its own nest.
In response, the newcomer fights back, and soon the interaction between neighboring jawfish escalates to war.
Finally, the original occupant invades the newcomer's burrow and drives the offending fish away.
The victor returns to its own burrow, snapping at its defeated rival.
When a newcomer builds its burrow too close to another, the resident jawfish tries to drive off the trespasser.
The first step in this campaign is to steal the stones from the interloper's burrow and use them to build up its own nest.
In response, the newcomer fights back, and soon the interaction between neighboring jawfish escalates to war.
Finally, the original occupant invades the newcomer's burrow and drives the offending fish away.
The victor returns to its own burrow, snapping at its defeated rival.