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Can Fish Remember Faces?

Published in Animal Cognition 2 mins read

Yes, fish can remember faces.

The Surprising Ability of Fish to Recognize Faces

While it might be surprising, fish possess a remarkable ability to recognize and remember faces, even without the complex visual cortex found in primates. Recent research has shown that fish can distinguish between numerous different faces.

Research Findings

  • Researchers have found that fish are capable of discriminating one face from up to 44 new faces.
  • This indicates a significant level of facial recognition capacity in fish, comparable to some other animal species.
  • The study, conducted on June 7th, 2016, highlighted that the visual processing capabilities of fish are more advanced than previously believed.

Implications of Facial Recognition in Fish

The ability to recognize faces has a significant impact on the social interactions of fish.

  • It allows fish to differentiate between individuals within their group, which can be important for social hierarchies and cooperative behavior.
  • This recognition also likely plays a role in predator-prey relationships, allowing fish to recognize and react appropriately to potentially dangerous individuals.

How Fish Recognize Faces

While the exact mechanisms are still being studied, it is thought that fish utilize subtle differences in facial features to identify other fish, not entirely dissimilar to how humans distinguish each other.

Examples of Fish Recognizing Faces

  • Some fish species use facial patterns to recognize potential mates.
  • Others will recognize their caregivers by facial characteristics.
  • Some fish might show more aggressive or submissive behavior depending on who they encounter.


Aspect Detail
Facial Recognition Fish can distinguish faces
Number of Faces Up to 44 new faces
Brain Structure Lacking primate-like visual cortex
Social Impact Influences social interaction, hierarchies, and predator-prey relations
Research Date 07-Jun-2016