i'm reading Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History right now. my own notes, so take with a grain of salt, some fava beans and a nice chianti.
A N I M A L S ('conspecifics' = animals of the same species)
reasons:
- not recognising their conspecifics
- stressful environments, incl. lack of other food
- prioritizing fewer but strong over more but weaker offspring
types:
- filial cannibalism (eating one's own offspring)
- producing eggs just for food (insects, fish)
- eating eggs for food because there's so many anyway (fish)
- eating eggs as food while protecting the eggs (fish)
- heterocannibalism (eating unrelated conspecifics)
- sibling cannibalism
- in-utero ('intrauterine') (sand tiger sharks)
- oophagy (eating siblings who are still in eggs)
- sacrificing one offspring to feed the others (birds?)
- sacrificing oneself as food for one's young (black lace-weaver spider)
- sexual cannibalism (of the smaller partner, which in invertebrates is mostly the male)
wip!
what is and isn't cannibalism depends on your definition. is scavenging cannibalism? is eating your placenta? breastfeeding? chewing your nails?