Sticklebacks presented with a clear glass tube filled with live brine
shrimp will initially attempt to capture them; however, the response w
anes within minutes. In the case of females, the rate of initial respo
nse is enhanced and the rate of waning is influenced by the state of t
he female (gravid females are more responsive) and by the density of t
he prey (greater density results in greater responsiveness). The preda
tory-response habituation differs from habituation of territorial aggr
ession and courtship in that the pre-decremental, incremental process
is absent. In common with habituation of territorial aggression but no
t with courtship, there is little short-term recovery of the response.
The differences are consistent with different functional requirements
for an experience-based inhibitory mechanism involved in the modulati
on of stickleback behaviour.