Briffa Mark, Lane Sarah M
School of Biological and Marine Science, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL3 8AA, UK
School of Biological and Marine Science, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL3 8AA, UK.
Proc Biol Sci. 2017 Sep 27;284(1863). doi: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1596.
What attributes make some individuals more likely to win a fight than others? A range of morphological and physiological traits have been studied intensely but far less focus has been placed on the actual agonistic behaviours used. Current studies of agonistic behaviour focus on contest duration and the vigour of fighting. It also seems obvious that individuals that fight more skilfully should have a greater chance of winning a fight. Here, we discuss the meaning of skill in animal fights. As the activities of each opponent can be disrupted by the behaviour of their rival, we differentiate among ability, technique and skill itself. In addition to efficient, accurate and sometimes precise movement, skilful fighting also requires rapid decision-making, so that appropriate tactics and strategies are selected. We consider how these different components of skill could be acquired, through genes, experiences of play-fighting and of real fights. Skilful fighting can enhance resource holding potential (RHP) by allowing for sustained vigour, by inflicting greater costs on opponents and by minimizing the chance of damage. Therefore, we argue that skill is a neglected but important component of RHP that could be readily studied to provide new insights into the evolution of agonistic behaviour.
哪些特质使得一些个体比其他个体更有可能在争斗中获胜？一系列形态学和生理学特征已得到深入研究，但对于实际使用的争斗行为的关注却少得多。当前对争斗行为的研究集中在争斗持续时间和争斗的激烈程度上。同样明显的是，争斗技巧更娴熟的个体应该有更大的机会赢得一场争斗。在此，我们讨论动物争斗中技巧的含义。由于每个对手的活动会被其对手的行为干扰，我们区分能力、技术和技巧本身。除了高效、准确且有时精准的动作外，巧妙的争斗还需要快速决策，以便选择合适的战术和策略。我们思考这些不同的技巧组成部分是如何通过基因、玩耍式争斗和实际争斗的经验来习得的。巧妙的争斗可以通过保持持续的活力、给对手造成更大代价以及将受伤几率降至最低来增强资源持有潜力（RHP）。因此，我们认为技巧是RHP中一个被忽视但很重要的组成部分，对其进行深入研究可以为争斗行为的进化提供新的见解。
