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. 2017 Jan;90(1):443-450.
doi: 10.1111/jfb.13176. Epub 2016 Oct 21.

A standardized method for quantifying consistent individual differences in schooling behaviour

S Pearish  1   2 , L Hostert  1 , A M Bell  1
Affiliations

A standardized method for quantifying consistent individual differences in schooling behaviour

S Pearish et al. J Fish Biol. 2017 Jan.

Abstract

A method for quantifying consistent individual differences in schooling behaviour is presented. This method, which utilizes a school of models, improves on previous methods by removing the unwanted variation that is introduced by live stimulus fish while still providing the physiological experience of schooling to the focal fish. Three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus observed in the model school assay exhibited consistent individual differences in schooling behaviour.

Keywords: Gasterosteus aculeatus; dummies; handling stress; personality; sociality.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Testing pool containing model school. The first inset shows the model school at rest. When set in motion, all models orient in the same direction. The second inset shows a clay model Gasterosteus aculeatus. Models ranged from 30 to 45 mm in standard length (LS) to match the range of LS of adult G. aculeatus in the Navarro River population.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Individuals consistently differed in time schooling across 2 weeks. ●, the amount of time individuals spent schooling with models over 600 s observations. The curve was fitted by y = 57.56 + 0.50x (n = 35).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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