Hastiness, brain size and predation regime affect the performance of wild guppies in a spatial memory task
The ability to return to, or avoid, specific locations is often critical to fitness-related activities. We tested for differences in spatial memory of guppies, Poecilia reticulata, from low- and high-predation populations in a maze task. We also measured the time each fish took to make a decision in the maze, because individuals can show a […]
The validity of three tests of temperament in guppies (Poecilia reticulata)
Differences in temperament (consistent differences among individuals in behavior) can have important effects on fitness-related activities such as dispersal and competition. However, evolutionary ecologists have put limited effort into validating their tests of temperament. This article attempts to validate three standard tests of temperament in guppies: the open-field test, emergence test, and novel-object test. Through […]
Mild maternal stress disrupts associative learning and increases aggression in offspring
Maternal stress has been shown to affect behaviour of offspring in a wide range of animals, but this evidence has come from studies that exposed gestating mothers to acute or severe stressors, such as restraint or exposure to synthetic stress hormones. Here we show that exposure of mothers to even a mild stressor reduces associative […]