Scientists proved that intellect does not dependent on brain weight

According to the materials of the recent studies, mental abilities of a fish were much higher than it was previously assumed. Mental abilities of a coral trout and a chimpanzee are very similar.

The scientists from Britain believe that a trout can work together with a moray eel, the large venomous fish from eel family, similar to snake. According to the researchers, trout cooperates with moray eels using gestures and helps them hunting.

While searching for food, trout behaves like chimpanzees, the studies of which were conducted not less than 10 years ago. In this case, they were studying cooperation between moray eels and trout. The body of a moray is very flexible, allowing it to take its catch from the places hard to reach, and trout has good speed, which is necessary for the prosecution of its victim in the open water.

Coral trout has a wide range of color, from olive green to dark red. It grows up to 50 centimeters. Also, the body of the fish is covered with colorful blue patches of a small size. A coral grouper is related to a coral trout. Each of them receives signals and uses special gestures to show a moray the location of the victim. A trout can even stand on its head to show the necessary direction.

Under these habitat conditions, some morays can cooperate more productively than others. The researchers conducted an experiment in controlled environment on a coral trout ability to distinguish between good and bad moray companions. As a result, soon a trout began to distinguish the hunting companions and used more skillful partner three times more often.

Based on the research results, we can conclude that the size of a mammal"s brain can not be an absolute definition of advanced forms of communication, says Alexander Vail, who works as a zoologist at the University of Cambridge.

Vale says that the brain of a fish is, of course, smaller than the brain of a mammal; however it is not the only meaningful factor. Hence, the scientists are still far on the way to comprehensive understanding of the brain of living organisms and their abilities.