Agonistic Fighting
Actual fighting in contests is rare because of the risk of injury with the exception of the rooster or fighting cock. It is most likely to occur when individuals are similarly sized, or when reproduction and survival without the contested resource is less likely. Even when agonism escalates to actual fighting, restraint may be used. This is the case in fights among some male venomous snakes for females. They wrestle, but refrain from biting.
Read more about this topic: Agonistic Behaviour
Famous quotes containing the word fighting:
“I am no longer an artist, interested and curious. I am a messenger who will bring back word from the men who are fighting to those who want the war to go on for ever. Feeble, inarticulate, will be my message, but it will have a bitter truth, and may it burn their lousy souls.”
—Paul Nash (1889–1946)