Cross-context behavioral correlations and signals of aggression in females of a livebearing fish
Data files
Feb 28, 2024 version files 42.62 KB
Abstract
Behaviors may be adaptively correlated with each other and with other aspects of phenotype. We investigated behavior across foraging, mating, and risk contexts in females of the poeciliid fish, Girardinus metallicus. We quantified relationships between these behaviors and aggression signals, body size, and reproductive output. Behaviors describing aggression and boldness, some of which were repeatable, were correlated in females. Aggression was signaled by the darkening of a black spot on the extended dorsal fin or by fin flaring. Spot darkening occurred during intra- and intersexual interactions and was positively correlated with inter-female aggression and negatively correlated with time females spent following males, suggesting that it honestly indicates motivational state. In contrast, fin flaring was only directed at females and occurred more frequently in the foraging context. Larger females had fewer offspring and received fewer courtship displays, possibly because they were more aggressive to males. In contrast to studies of males, we found a negative relationship between rank order of boldness and aggression, consistent with either a tradeoff or with selection favoring the negative relationship. Our results highlight the importance of studying females in model systems to uncover novel patterns and potentially meaningful departures from what is typically seen in males.
README: GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Title of Dataset: Cross-context behavioural correlations and signals of aggression in females of a livebearing fish
<https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.g79cnp5pv>
2. Author Information
A. Principal Investigator Contact Information
Name: Gita Kolluru
Institution: California Polytechnic State University
Address: San Luis Obispo, CA USA
Email: gkolluru@calpoly.edu
3. Date of data collection: 2011-2012
4. Geographic location of data collection: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA USA
Description of the data and file structure
1. File List:
A) Main dataset.csv
B) Repeatability in foraging and mating contexts.csv
C) Male aggression foraging experiment data.csv
D) Cortisol data.csv
2. Relationship among files, if important: None
3. Additional related data collected that were not included in the current data package: None
Datasets included
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Main dataset.csv
1. Number of variables: 41
2. Number of cases/rows: 65
3. Variable List:
Female ID: Unique identifier of each female used in the study
Pair ID: Unique identifier of each pair of females tested together in Foraging and Mating contexts
#of days isolated: Number of days each female was isolated, during which reproductive output data were collected, prior to behavioral observations (reproductive output collection period)
Mass (g): Mass of female
Standard length (mm): Standard length of female
Total # of offspring: Total number of offspring produced by the female during the reproductive output collection period
#of broods: Number of broods produced by the female during the reproductive output collection period
Average brood size (total # of offspring/ # of broods): Average size of the broods produced by the female during the reproductive output collection period
#of offspring per day (Total # of offspring/days isolated): Number of offspring born per day of isolation by the female during the reproductive output collection period
Risk context Latency to exit safety zone (s): Latency time to exit the safety zone in the Risk context trial
Risk context Total predator approaches: Total number of predator approaches by the focal female in the Risk context trial
Risk context Total times crossed zone: The number of times the focal female crosses a zone in the Risk context trial
Risk context Average zone score: The average zone score for the female in the Risk context trial
Risk context Std dev zone score: The standard deviation of the zones crossed during the Risk context trial
Risk context CV Zone score: The coefficient of variation of the zones crossed during the Risk context trial
Risk context Did the female exit safety zone?: A categorical variable describing whether the female exited the safety zone during the Risk context trial
Risk context Std error zone score: The standard error of the zones crossed during the Risk context trial
Foraging context Total chases: Total number of chases delivered by the focal female to the other female across all three trials in the Foraging context.
Foraging context total fin flares: Total number of fin flares delivered by the focal female across all three trials in the Foraging context.
Foraging context total fin folds: Total number of fin folds performed by the focal female across all three trials in the Foraging context.
Foraging context total nips: Total number of nips delivered by the focal female across all three trials in the Foraging context.
Foraging context total forage on wafer: Total number of pecks on the algae wafer delivered by the focal female across all three trials in the Foraging context.
Foraging context total foraging pecks on gravel: Total number of pecks on the gravel delivered by the focal female across all three trials.
Foraging context total tail beats: Total number of tail beats delivered by the focal female across all three trials in the Foraging context.
Foraging context Black Spot Status Score (0-6): The number of checks out of 6 during which the black spot was dark across all three trials in the Foraging context
Dominance Index Females Mating Context: Dominance index score computed for each female
Dominance Status Female Mating Context: A categorical variable describing whether each female was dominant or subordinate, based on the dominance index score
Male ID: A unique identifier for each male in the Mating context
Male standard length (mm): The standard length of the male
Male gonopodium length (mm): The gonopodium length of the male
Mating context total follow male duration (s): Total time spent following the male by the focal female across all three trials in the Mating context.
Mating context Total chases male: Total number of chases delivered by the focal female to the male across all three trials in the Mating context.
Mating context Total chases female: Total number of chases delivered by the focal female to the other female across all three trials in the Mating context.
Mating context total tail beats female: Total number of tail beats delivered by the focal female to the other female across all three trials in the Mating context.
Mating context total fin folds: Total number of fin folds performed by the focal female across all three trials in the Mating context.
Mating context total fin flares to female: Total number of fin flares delivered by the focal female to the other female across all three trials in the Mating context.
Mating context total nips female: Total number of nips delivered by the focal female to the other female across all three trials in the Mating context.
Mating context total nips male: Total number of nips delivered by the focal female to the male across all three trials in the Mating context.
Mating context receive courtship duration (s): Time spent receiving courtship displays by the male across all three trials in the Mating context
Mating context total receive copulation attempt: Number of copulation attempts received by the female across all three trials in the Mating context
Mating context Black Spot Status score (0-6): The number of checks out of 6 during which the black spot was dark across all three trials in the Mating context
4. Missing data codes: None
5. Specialized formats or other abbreviations used: None
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: repeatability in foraging and mating contexts.csv
1. Number of variables: 62
2. Number of cases/rows: 65
3. Variable List:
Female ID: Unique identifier for each female.
Pair ID: Unique identifier for each pair of females tested together in the Foraging and Mating contexts.
Foraging context chases 1: Number of chases delivered by the focal female to the other female in trial 1 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context chases 2: Number of chases delivered by the focal female to the other female in trial 2 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context chases 3: Number of chases delivered by the focal female to the other female in trial 3 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context Total chases: Total number of chases delivered by the focal female to the other female across all three trials in the Foraging context.
Foraging context forage pecks on wafer 1: Number of pecks on the algae wafer delivered by the focal female in trial 1 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context forage pecks on wafer 2: Number of pecks on the algae wafer delivered by the focal female in trial 2 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context forage pecks on wafer 3: Number of pecks on the algae wafer delivered by the focal female in trial 3 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context total forage pecks on wafer: Total number of pecks on the algae wafer delivered by the focal female across all three trials in the Foraging context.
Foraging context forage pecks on gravel 1: Number of pecks on the gravel delivered by the focal female in trial 1 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context forage pecks on gravel 2: Number of pecks on the gravel delivered by the focal female in trial 2 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context forage pecks on gravel 3: Number of pecks on the gravel delivered by the focal female in trial 3 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context total forage pecks on gravel: Total number of pecks on the gravel delivered by the focal female across all three trials.
Foraging context tail beat 1: Number of tail beats delivered by the focal female in trial 1 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context tail beat 2: Number of tail beats delivered by the focal female in trial 2 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context tail beat 3: Number of tail beats delivered by the focal female in trial 3 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context total tail beats: Total number of tail beats delivered by the focal female across all three trials in the Foraging context.
Foraging context fin fold 1: Number of fin folds performed by the focal female in trial 1 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context fin fold 2: Number of fin folds performed by the focal female in trial 2 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context fin fold 3: Number of fin folds performed by the focal female in trial 3 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context total fin folds: Total number of fin folds performed by the focal female across all three trials in the Foraging context.
Foraging context fin flare 1: Number of fin flares delivered by the focal female in trial 1 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context fin flare 2: Number of fin flares delivered by the focal female in trial 2 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context fin flare 3: Number of fin flares delivered by the focal female in trial 3 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context total fin flares: Total number of fin flares delivered by the focal female across all three trials in the Foraging context.
Foraging context total nips 1: Number of nips delivered by the focal female in trial 1 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context total nips 2: Number of nips delivered by the focal female in trial 2 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context total nips 3: Number of nips delivered by the focal female in trial 3 of the Foraging context.
Foraging context total nips: Total number of nips delivered by the focal female across all three trials in the Foraging context.
Mating context total tail beats female 1: Number of tail beats delivered by the focal female to the other female in trial 2 of the Mating context.
Mating context total tail beats female 2: Number of tail beats delivered by the focal female to the other female in trial 2 of the Mating context.
Mating context total tail beats female 3: Number of tail beats delivered by the focal female to the other female in trial 3 of the Mating context.
Mating context total tail beats female: Total number of tail beats delivered by the focal female to the other female across all three trials in the Mating context.
Mating context total fin folds 1: Number of fin folds performed by the focal female in trial 1 of the Mating context.
Mating context total fin folds 2: Number of fin folds performed by the focal female in trial 2 of the Mating context.
Mating context total fin folds 3: Number of fin folds performed by the focal female in trial 3 of the Mating context.
Mating context total fin folds: Total number of fin folds performed by the focal female across all three trials in the Mating context.
Mating context total fin flares 1: Number of fin flares delivered by the focal female to the other female in trial 1 of the Mating context.
Mating context total fin flares 2: Number of fin flares delivered by the focal female to the other female in trial 2 of the Mating context.
Mating context total fin flares 3: Number of fin flares delivered by the focal female to the other female in trial 3 of the Mating context.
Mating context total fin flares: Total number of fin flares delivered by the focal female to the other female across all three trials in the Mating context.
Mating context total nips female 1: Number of nips delivered by the focal female to the other female in trial 1 of the Mating context.
Mating context total nips female 2: Number of nips delivered by the focal female to the other female in trial 2 of the Mating context.
Mating context total nips female 3: Number of nips delivered by the focal female to the other female in trial 3 of the Mating context.
Mating context total nips female: Total number of nips delivered by the focal female to the other female across all three trials in the Mating context.
Mating context total nips male 1: Number of nips delivered by the focal female to the male in trial 1 of the Mating context.
Mating context total nips male 2: Number of nips delivered by the focal female to the male in trial 2 of the Mating context.
Mating context total nips male 3: Number of nips delivered by the focal female to the male in trial 3 of the Mating context.
Mating context total nips male: Total number of nips delivered by the focal female to the male across all three trials in the Mating context.
4. Missing data codes: None
5. Specialized formats or other abbreviations used: None
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Male aggression foraging experiment data.csv
1. Number of variables: 10
2. Number of cases/rows: 26
3. Variable List:
Pair ID: Unique identifier for each pair of males tested together
Male ID: Unique identifier for each individual male
Black status: Categorical classification of the male based on the area of black on his body
Male Type (first to see wafer?): Categorical description of whether this male was the first to peck at the wafer within that pair's trial
Chases: Number of chases delivered by the focal male to the other male
Chases received: Number of chases received by the focal male from the other male
Gonopodial display: Number of gonopodial displays delivered by the focal male to the other male
Gonopodial displays received: Number of gonopodial displays received by the focal male from the other male
Foraging pecks on wafer: Number of times the focal male pecked on the algae wafer
Foraging pecks not on wafer: Number of times the focal male pecked on an area of the tank that was not the algae wafer
4. Missing data codes: None
5. Specialized formats or other abbreviations used: None
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Cortisol data.csv
1. Number of variables: 5
2. Number of cases/rows: 69
3. Variable List:
Pair ID:Unique identifier for the pair of females tested together in the Mating and Foraging contexts.
Female ID: Unique identifier for the female,
Cortisol (pg/mL): Cortisol release rate.
Mass (g): Mass of the female as obtained from a digital balance.
Treatment: Categorical assignment of the female to either the fin notched or the sham notched treatment.
4. Missing data codes: None
5. Specialized formats or other abbreviations used: None
Code/Software
JMP and R code are available upon request.
Methods
Data were collected by counting offspring for life history variables, measurement from images for morphology, direct observation for behaviors, and water-borne collection for cortisol. Data analysis was performed using JMP 16.