Behavior pattern of animals

1. Behavioural Pattern
There are millionsof differentspeciesof animals,andeachspeciesbehavessomewhatdifferently.
Nevertheless,there are commonpatternsof behaviorexhibitedbymanyspecies,andafew behavior
patternsthat are exhibitedbyall species.Since all speciesneedtoreproduce,eat,andtrynot to be
eatenbysomeone else,all speciesexhibitsome type of reproductive behavior,foraging(eating)
behavior,anddefensivebehavior.Overtime, natural selectionhasalsofavoredotherbehaviorpatterns
that helpspecies
Reproductive Behavior:
Althoughsome animalsare able to reproduce
asexually(suchassome insectsandafew
speciesof lizards),mostanimalsmustfinda
mate in orderto reproduce.Inmanycases,one
of the individuals,usuallythe male,triesto
attract a mate by performingacourtship
display.Thisisoftenavisual display,asisthe
case withthe peacockand manyspeciesof
coral reef fish.Studieshave shownthatthe
femalesselectmalespartlyonthe basisof their
courtshipdisplays.Scientistsbelievethat
vigorousandbrightlycoloreddisplaysmightsignal tothe femalethatthe male isstrongand healthy.
Thus,matingbehaviorplaysanimportantrole indeterminingwhichgenesgetpassedontothe next
generation.
Foraging Behavior:
Animalsexhibitseveral differenttypesof foraging
behavior.Some animalsare quite selectiveinwhat
theyeat.These animalsare calledforaging
specialists.Forexample,the dietof the lynx consists
primarilyof snowshoe hares.Some speciesof
insectsfeedonlyonasingle plantspecies;theyare
the ultimate feedingspecialists.Otheranimalsare
generalists,eatingawide varietyof foodtypes.An
example of aforaginggeneralistis the opossum,

2. whicheatseverythingfrominsectsandberriestogarbage.Itis thoughtthat natural selectionhas
favoredmanyanimalstoforage inan efficientmanner.Thismeansthatthe animalsmake feeding
choicesthatmaximize the amountof energythey canobtaininthe shortesttime possible.Thistype of
foraging,sometimesreferredtoas"optimal foraging,"leavesthe animal withmore time andenergyfor
otherimportantactivities,suchasfindingamate or caringfor offspring.
Defensive Behavior
Virtuallyall animalsare vulnerable topredation(beingeatenbyanotheranimal) atleastsome time
duringtheirlives.Evenwolvesandlionscanbe preyforotheranimalswhentheyare veryyoung.Asa
result,animalsfromwormstowhaleshave evolvedwaystoreduce the likelihoodtheyare eaten.This
behavior,oftenreferredtoasdefensive,orantipredator,behavior,cantake manyforms.Some animals,
such as many moths and lizards, try to blend in with their surroundings so the predator cannot see them.
Thisis calledcrypticbehavior.Otherspecieshave evolvedeffectiveescape behaviors,suchasfast-
runningantelope andfast-swimmingfish.Othersfightbackwithstingingorbitingbehavior.Inmany
cases,preycan deterpredatorswitha threat
display.Threatdisplaysare special behaviors
that tell the predatorthatthe prey mayfight
back ferociously.A raccoonthat baresits
teethandgrowlswhencorneredbya
predatorisgivingsucha threatdisplay.
CommunicationBehavior:
As illustratedabove, effective communication
behaviorisvital foran animal.Besidescommunicatingwithsightandsound,some animals
communicate usingchemicals.Forexample,male mothsfindmatesbydetectingspecial chemicals
calledpheromonesthatthe femalesreleaseintothe air.Antsalsouse pheromonestodetermineif
anotherant isan intruderor a memberof the colony.

3. Territorial Behavior:
Settingupand maintainingaterritoryisanother
commonpatternof behaviorexhibitedbymany
speciesof insects,fish,birds,reptiles,andmammals.
Territoriesare usedfora varietyof purposes,including
feeding,mating,andcaringforoffspring.The territory
ownernormallytriestokeepotherindividualsof its
speciesoutof the territory.
Dispersal andsocial behavior:
Otherpatternsof behaviorinclude dispersalbehavior,exhibitedwhenindividualsmove awayfromthe
area inwhichtheywere born,andmany typesof
social behavior.Social behaviorisparticularly
commonin animalsthatlive ingroups,suchas ants,
penguins,andprimates.Inall cases,scientistsbelieve
that these patternsof behaviorhave evolvedover
time because theyhave increasedthe abilityof
animalstosurvive andreproduce.