Why is the wahoo's tendency to target schooling bait considered an energetically efficient strategy?
Answer
It provides a high caloric return for the energy expended during the chase
Feeding on schooling fish allows the wahoo to maximize energy efficiency. Chasing a single, isolated organism requires significant energy expenditure for a relatively small reward, whereas attacking a dense aggregation of prey offers a much higher caloric return, which is essential for maintaining the wahoo's top swimming speeds.
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