TY - JOUR
T1 - Correlation between boldness and body mass in natural populations of the poeciliid Brachyrhaphis episcopi
AU - Brown, C.
AU - Jones, F.
AU - Braithwaite, V. A.
PY - 2007/12
Y1 - 2007/12
N2 - The boldness of individual Brachyrhaphis episcopi, collected from regions of high and low predation, was investigated using two independent assays: (1) the time to emerge from cover and (2) the propensity to leave shoal mates and investigate a novel object. A strong correlation between the two assays was revealed such that fish that emerged from shelter sooner were also more likely to approach a novel object. This is indicative of a boldness personality axis acting across both behavioural contexts. Fish from high-predation areas were bolder than those from low-predation areas and males were bolder than females. A significant correlation between body mass, standard length (LS) and boldness score was also found. In general, bold fish had a greater body mass at a given LS than shy fish. These results suggest that personality traits are strongly influenced by population-specific ecological variables and may have fitness consequences in wild populations.
AB - The boldness of individual Brachyrhaphis episcopi, collected from regions of high and low predation, was investigated using two independent assays: (1) the time to emerge from cover and (2) the propensity to leave shoal mates and investigate a novel object. A strong correlation between the two assays was revealed such that fish that emerged from shelter sooner were also more likely to approach a novel object. This is indicative of a boldness personality axis acting across both behavioural contexts. Fish from high-predation areas were bolder than those from low-predation areas and males were bolder than females. A significant correlation between body mass, standard length (LS) and boldness score was also found. In general, bold fish had a greater body mass at a given LS than shy fish. These results suggest that personality traits are strongly influenced by population-specific ecological variables and may have fitness consequences in wild populations.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=36148954731&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=36148954731&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2007.01627.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2007.01627.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:36148954731
SN - 0022-1112
VL - 71
SP - 1590
EP - 1601
JO - Journal of Fish Biology
JF - Journal of Fish Biology
IS - 6
ER -