Figure 39.3
In the territorial behavior of the stickleback fish, the red belly of one male that elicits attack from another male is functioning as a
A) pheromone.
B) sign stimulus.
C) fixed action pattern.
D) hormone.

Question

Figure 39.3
In the territorial behavior of the stickleback fish, the red belly of one male that elicits attack from another male is functioning as a
A) pheromone. 
B) sign stimulus. 
C) fixed action pattern. 
D) hormone.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The red belly of the stickleback fish serves as a sign stimulus, which is a specific visual cue that elicits a particular behavior. The aggressive behavior of attacking the red-bellied male is a fixed action pattern, meaning it is a stereotyped behavior in response to a particular stimulus. Pheromones and hormones are chemical signals, and while they may play a role in territorial behavior in other animals, they are not applicable to the specific behavior described in this question.

Figure 39.3 In the Territorial Behavior of the Stickleback Fish, the Red