Agamas exhibit behavioral syndromes: Bolder males bask and feed more but may suffer higher predation

Carter, Alecia J., Goldizen, Anne W. and Tromp, Sara A. (2010) Agamas exhibit behavioral syndromes: Bolder males bask and feed more but may suffer higher predation. Behavioral Ecology, 21 3: 655-661.


Author Carter, Alecia J.
Goldizen, Anne W.
Tromp, Sara A.
Title Agamas exhibit behavioral syndromes: Bolder males bask and feed more but may suffer higher predation
Journal name Behavioral Ecology  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2010-05
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1093/beheco/arq036
Volume number 21
Issue number 3
ISSN 1045-2249; 1465-7279
Start page 655
End page 661
Total pages 7
Editor Iain Couzin
Rob Brooks
Mark Elgar
Place of publication New York, U.S.A.
Publisher Oxford University Press
Collection year 2011
Language eng
Subject C1
960899 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity of Environments not elsewhere classified
060801 Animal Behaviour
Formatted abstract According to basic evolutionary theory, individuals within a population should adapt their behavior in response to their current physical and social environment. However, there is now evidence from a diverse range of taxa that behavior is instead constrained by individuals’ broad behavioral syndromes or personalities. Bold individuals are generally shown to take greater risks than shy individuals. Theory suggests that there should be fitness trade-offs associated with personalities. We aimed to answer the following 3 questions using the Namibian rock agama (Agama planiceps) as a study species: 1) Is the boldness of individual male agamas repeatable? 2) Do male agamas show a behavioral syndrome? and 3) Are there any possible fitness trade-offs associated with individual behavioral syndromes. We measured boldness of 30 male agamas by quantifying flight initiation distance. We found that individual agama behavior was significantly consistent through time. Also, bolder males were found to spend significantly more time basking and moving throughout their home ranges in sight of predators, indicating a behavioral syndrome in this species. Bolder males also had larger home ranges and fed more than shyer males but suffered higher levels of tail loss, possibly due to predation. The rates of visual signaling in the form of assertion displays of bolder and shyer males did not differ. We suggest that males of this species show a significant behavioral syndrome that may lead to fitness trade-offs.
© 2010 The Author.
Keyword Agama planiceps
Behavioral syndrome
Boldness
Individual variation
Personality
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code
Institutional Status UQ
Additional Notes Volume 21 Issue 3 May-June 2010

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collections: Official 2011 Collection
School of Biological Sciences Publications
 
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Created: Sun, 23 May 2010, 00:06:24 EST