Contagious Yawning Exhibited by Some Fish Species

Contagious Yawning Discovered in Zebrafish

In an intriguing finding, a group of researchers have discovered that zebrafish exhibit contagious yawning, marking the first time this behaviour has been observed in a cold-blooded species.

The study, led by Cait Newport, a biologist who specialises in fish behaviour at Oxford University, focused on zebrafish (Danio rerio), a species commonly kept in freshwater aquariums. The team shared their findings in Communications Biology on April 7.

When shown videos of other zebrafish yawning, the research subjects responded by yawning themselves. This behaviour was distinct from normal breathing, as zebrafish open their mouths more widely and stretch their bodies during a yawn.

An AI model, trained to recognise the traits linked to yawning in zebrafish, was able to distinguish between a yawn and normal breathing in these fish.

Noam Miller, a comparative psychologist at Wilfrid Laurier University, finds the Italian group's study interesting and surprising. However, he notes that there are many things left to learn about fish yawning. Miller suggests that more studies are needed to fill in the gaps on whether fish would yawn contagiously for the same reasons as warm-blooded animals.

Newport suggests that the directional change reported in fish that watched a video is a plausible hypothesis but not enough to conclude that fish in the wild would use yawning to coordinate their movements.

Palagi and her team plan to conduct more studies on yawning in zebrafish to further understand the phenomenon. Palagi acknowledges that the reason animals yawn is still an open question.

The study of contagious yawning in zebrafish could be a perfect animal to study yawning and why it's contagious, according to Miller. The research opens the door for many more studies on yawning in zebrafish to come.

Despite the name of the group of female researchers studying contagious teeth in zebrafish not being provided in the given information, their work has shed new light on the behaviour of these aquatic creatures. This could lead to a better understanding of the evolution of yawning in various species.