Individual consistency in exploration and shyness but not activity in smooth newts (Lissotriton vulgaris): the effect of habituation?

• Published in: Journal of zoology (1987) Vol. 311; no. 4; pp. 269 - 276
• Main Authors: Chajma, P., Kopecký, O., Vojar, J., Rödel, Mark‐Oliver
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-08-2020
• Subjects: amphibia; Amphibians; Aquatic reptiles; behavioural syndrome; Consistency; Correlation coefficient; Correlation coefficients; Exploration; Habituation; Habituation (learning); Latency; Lissotriton vulgaris; Methods; Movement; Personality; Reptiles & amphibians
• ISSN: 0952-8369; 1469-7998
• DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12784

Behavioural consistency (i.e. personality) is an important aspect of behavioural ecology that has yet to be thoroughly examined in amphibians. Currently published studies often address only one or two aspects of personality, using many different methods for evaluating behavioural consistency. This is the first study focusing on all relevant behavioural traits and their relationships in urodele amphibians. Based on three trials within the experiment, we examined the consistency of activity (time spent moving), the boldness (latency of the first movement and time spent escaping) and the exploration (number of visited segments of the test arena) of 42 smooth newts (Lissotriton vulgaris). Individual consistency, calculated through the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), was low in newt activity (ICC = 0.192) and was moderate in boldness (0.476) and in exploration (0.403). Activity was moderately consistent for each trial (0.425), indicating possible habituation, supported by a decrease in mean activity throughout the trials. Newt activity, shyness and exploration were correlated throughout the experiment, suggesting the possible existence of a common selective pressure. With a summary of existing studies and their effect sizes, we aim to highlight the inconsistencies in the methods and in the results of these studies, to emphasize the need for a complex approach to the study of amphibian personality and the need for a standardized methodology, which would solve the current difficulties in comparing published results.
Behavioural consistencies (i.e., personalities) is an important aspect of behavioural ecology that has yet to be thoroughly examined in amphibians. This is the first study focusing on all relevant behavioural traits and their relationships in an urodele amphibian. Based on three trials within the experiment, we found low individual consistency in newt activity and moderate individual consistency in boldness and in exploration. Activity was moderately consistent in each trial, indicating possible habituation, supported by a decrease in mean activity throughout the trials. The correlation of activity, shyness and exploration suggests the presence of a behavioural syndrome caused by a common selective pressure.