The tendency of fish to swim together in coordinated groups called schools, providing protection from predators and improving feeding efficiency. Schooling involves complex group coordination and communication.
From Middle Dutch 'schole' meaning 'group' or 'crowd,' applied to fish groups since the 14th century. The behavioral science context developed in the 20th century as marine biologists studied group dynamics in aquatic animals.
Fish schools are like living liquid - thousands of individuals can move as one coordinated unit, creating mesmerizing patterns that confuse predators and help locate food! Each fish follows simple rules about staying close to neighbors and avoiding collisions, yet together they create incredibly complex group behaviors that scientists are still studying.
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