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Richard001 (talk | contribs) Less evolved is emperically incorrect and implies a Great Chain of Being. |
Richard001 (talk | contribs) Digger wasp image |
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[[Image:SphexPensylvanicus.jpg|right|thumb|[[Digger wasp]]s are a classic example of fixed action patterns.]]
In [[ethology]], a '''fixed action pattern''' ('''FAP''') is a complex [[behavior]]al sequence that is indivisible and runs to completion. FAPs are invariant and are produced by the [[innate releasing mechanism]] that responds to an external sensory stimulus ([[sign stimulus]]).
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Another good example of a FAP is within the red-bellied stickleback (fish). They are naturally angry at a specific stimulus, which is other red-bellied sticklebacks. Anything red creates this FAP. The proximate response to this is that due to the stimuli, a nerve sends a signal to attack that red item. The ultimate cause of this behavior stems from the fact that the stickleback needs the area in which it is living for either habitat, food, mating with other sticklebacks, or other purposes. This interaction was studied by [[Niko Tinbergen]].
[[Category:Ethology]]
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