Activity‐aggression behavioural syndromes exist in males but not in females of the field cricket Teleogryllus emma

Abstract Previous studies on sex differences in behaviour have largely focused on differences in average behaviours between sexes. However, males and females can diverge not only in average behaviours but also in the direction of behavioural correlations at the individual level (i.e. behavioural syn...

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Main Authors: Chang S. Han, Byeongho Lee, Jong‐yeol Moon
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-10-01
Series:Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10642
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author Chang S. Han
Byeongho Lee
Jong‐yeol Moon
author_facet Chang S. Han
Byeongho Lee
Jong‐yeol Moon
author_sort Chang S. Han
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Previous studies on sex differences in behaviour have largely focused on differences in average behaviours between sexes. However, males and females can diverge not only in average behaviours but also in the direction of behavioural correlations at the individual level (i.e. behavioural syndromes). Behavioural syndromes, with their potential to constrain the independent evolution of behaviours, may play a role in shaping sex‐specific responses to selection and contributing to the development of sex differences in behaviour. Despite the pivotal role of behavioural syndromes in the evolution of sexual dimorphism in behaviour, robust empirical evidence of sex differences in behavioural syndromes based on repeated measurements of behaviours is scarce. In this study, we conducted repeated measurements of activity and aggression in male and female field crickets Teleogryllus emma, providing evidence of sex differences in the existence of behavioural syndromes. Males exhibited a significantly positive behavioural syndrome between activity and aggression, whereas females, in contrast, did not show any aggressive behaviour, resulting in the absence of such a syndrome. The sex differences in the existence of the activity‐aggression behavioural syndromes in this species could be attributed to differences in selection. Selection favouring more active and aggressive males may have shaped a positive activity‐aggression behavioural syndrome in males, whereas the absence of selection favouring female aggression may have resulted in the absence of aggression and the related behavioural syndrome in females. However, given the plasticity of behaviour with changes in age or the environment, further research is needed to explore how sex differences in the existence of activity‐aggression behavioural syndromes change across contexts. Furthermore, understanding the genetic underpinning of sex differences in a behavioural syndrome would be pivotal to assess the role of behavioural syndromes in the evolution of sexual dimorphism in behaviours.
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spelling doaj.art-7e807154ab0a4176836aa5de4d11a86f2023-10-27T04:40:51ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582023-10-011310n/an/a10.1002/ece3.10642Activity‐aggression behavioural syndromes exist in males but not in females of the field cricket Teleogryllus emmaChang S. Han0Byeongho Lee1Jong‐yeol Moon2Department of Biology Kyung Hee University Seoul KoreaDepartment of Biology Kyung Hee University Seoul KoreaDepartment of Biology Kyung Hee University Seoul KoreaAbstract Previous studies on sex differences in behaviour have largely focused on differences in average behaviours between sexes. However, males and females can diverge not only in average behaviours but also in the direction of behavioural correlations at the individual level (i.e. behavioural syndromes). Behavioural syndromes, with their potential to constrain the independent evolution of behaviours, may play a role in shaping sex‐specific responses to selection and contributing to the development of sex differences in behaviour. Despite the pivotal role of behavioural syndromes in the evolution of sexual dimorphism in behaviour, robust empirical evidence of sex differences in behavioural syndromes based on repeated measurements of behaviours is scarce. In this study, we conducted repeated measurements of activity and aggression in male and female field crickets Teleogryllus emma, providing evidence of sex differences in the existence of behavioural syndromes. Males exhibited a significantly positive behavioural syndrome between activity and aggression, whereas females, in contrast, did not show any aggressive behaviour, resulting in the absence of such a syndrome. The sex differences in the existence of the activity‐aggression behavioural syndromes in this species could be attributed to differences in selection. Selection favouring more active and aggressive males may have shaped a positive activity‐aggression behavioural syndrome in males, whereas the absence of selection favouring female aggression may have resulted in the absence of aggression and the related behavioural syndrome in females. However, given the plasticity of behaviour with changes in age or the environment, further research is needed to explore how sex differences in the existence of activity‐aggression behavioural syndromes change across contexts. Furthermore, understanding the genetic underpinning of sex differences in a behavioural syndrome would be pivotal to assess the role of behavioural syndromes in the evolution of sexual dimorphism in behaviours.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10642animal personalitybehavioural syndromefield cricketsex difference
spellingShingle Chang S. Han
Byeongho Lee
Jong‐yeol Moon
Activity‐aggression behavioural syndromes exist in males but not in females of the field cricket Teleogryllus emma
Ecology and Evolution
animal personality
behavioural syndrome
field cricket
sex difference
title Activity‐aggression behavioural syndromes exist in males but not in females of the field cricket Teleogryllus emma
title_full Activity‐aggression behavioural syndromes exist in males but not in females of the field cricket Teleogryllus emma
title_fullStr Activity‐aggression behavioural syndromes exist in males but not in females of the field cricket Teleogryllus emma
title_full_unstemmed Activity‐aggression behavioural syndromes exist in males but not in females of the field cricket Teleogryllus emma
title_short Activity‐aggression behavioural syndromes exist in males but not in females of the field cricket Teleogryllus emma
title_sort activity aggression behavioural syndromes exist in males but not in females of the field cricket teleogryllus emma
topic animal personality
behavioural syndrome
field cricket
sex difference
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10642
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AT jongyeolmoon activityaggressionbehaviouralsyndromesexistinmalesbutnotinfemalesofthefieldcricketteleogryllusemma