Effect of initial body orientation on escape probability of prey fish escaping from predators

The kinematic and behavioral components of the escape response can affect the outcomes of predator-prey interactions. For example, because sensory perception range can have spatial bias, and because turn duration before the initiation of escape locomotion can be smaller when prey is oriented away from predators, the prey's body orientation relative to a predator at the onset of the escape response (initial orientation) could affect whether prey successfully evade predators. We tested this hypothesis by recording the escape responses of juvenile red sea bream (Pagrus major) to the predatory scorpion fish (Sebastiscus marmoratus). Flight initiation distance tended to be small when prey were attacked from behind, suggesting that prey have spatial bias in detecting attacking predators. An increase in flight initiation distance increased escape probability. An increase in initial orientation decreased turn duration and increased escape probability when the effect of flight initiation distance was offset. These results suggest that initial orientation affects escape probability through two different pathways: changes in flight initiation distance and turn duration. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating initial orientation into other studies of the kinematics of predator-prey interactions.