Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2013 Jul 1;8(7):e68828. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068828. Print 2013.
In studies of consistent individual differences (personality) along the bold-shy continuum, a pattern of behavioral correlations frequently emerges: individuals towards the bold end of the continuum are more likely to utilize risky habitat, approach potential predators, and feed under risky conditions. Here, we address the hypothesis that observed phenotypic correlations among component behaviors of the bold-shy continuum are a result of underlying genetic correlations (quantitative genetic architecture). We used a replicated three-generation pedigree of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to study three putative components of the bold-shy continuum: horizontal position, swim level, and feeding latency. We detected significant narrow-sense heritabilities as well as significant genetic and phenotypic correlations among all three behaviors, such that fish selected for swimming at the front of the tank swam closer to the observer, swam higher in the water column, and fed more quickly than fish selected for swimming at the back of the tank. Further, the lines varied in their initial open field behavior (swim level and activity level). The quantitative genetic architecture of the bold-shy continuum indicates that the multivariate behavioral phenotype characteristic of a "bold" personality type may be a result of correlated evolution via underlying genetic correlations.
在对大胆-羞怯连续体的一致性个体差异（个性）进行的研究中，经常会出现行为相关性模式：处于连续体大胆端的个体更有可能利用高风险栖息地，接近潜在的捕食者，并在高风险条件下进食。在这里，我们假设大胆-羞怯连续体的组成行为之间观察到的表型相关性是潜在遗传相关性（数量遗传结构）的结果。我们使用斑马鱼（Danio rerio）的重复三代谱系来研究大胆-羞怯连续体的三个潜在组成部分：水平位置、游泳水平和摄食潜伏期。我们检测到所有三种行为都具有显著的狭义遗传力以及显著的遗传和表型相关性，以至于选择在水箱前部游泳的鱼比选择在水箱后部游泳的鱼更靠近观察者，在水柱中游泳的高度更高，并且进食速度更快。此外，这些线在其初始开放场行为（游泳水平和活动水平）方面存在差异。大胆-羞怯连续体的数量遗传结构表明，具有“大胆”个性类型特征的多变量行为表型可能是由于潜在遗传相关性的相关进化所致。
