Ritualized aggression

Ritualized aggression or ritualized fighting is when animals use a range of behaviours as posture or warning but without engaging in serious aggression or fighting, which would be expensive in terms of energy and the risk of injury. Ritualized aggression involves a graded series of behaviours or displays that include threatening gestures (such as vocalizations, spreading of wings or gill covers, lifting and presentation of claws, head bobbing, tail beating, lunging, etc.) and occasionally posturing physical actions such as inhibited (non-injurious) bites.

This behavior is explained by evolutionary game theory.^[1]

^ Maynard Smith, John (1974). "The theory of games and the evolution of animal conflicts" (PDF). Journal of Theoretical Biology. 47 (1): 209–221. Bibcode:1974JThBi..47..209M. doi:10.1016/0022-5193(74)90110-6. PMID 4459582.

[MaynardSmith1974-1] Maynard Smith, John (1974). "The theory of games and the evolution of animal conflicts" (PDF). Journal of Theoretical Biology. 47 (1): 209–221. Bibcode:1974JThBi..47..209M. doi:10.1016/0022-5193(74)90110-6. PMID 4459582.

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