High Repeatability of Anti-Predator Responses and Resting Metabolic Rate in a Beetle

Abstract

Measures of repeatability are essential for understanding behavioral consistency and individual differences in behavior, i.e. animal personalities. We studied antipredator responses of the yellow mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor) and performed behavioral tests in plastic containers representing a typical laboratory environment of T. molitor. Behavioral tests were repeated in Eppendorf test tubes where we also measured resting metabolic rate (RMR). Results show that the response latency to a threatening/startling stimulus, and the total time spent in the state of tonic immobility, correlated across the tests. The behavioral responses were repeatable and RMR covaried phenotypically with personality: we found a negative correlation between response latency time and time spent immobile, a positive correlation between response latency and RMR, and a negative correlation between RMR and total time spent immobile. These correlations were also similar across trials performed in the Eppendorf test tubes and the plastic containers.

Personality, immune response and reproductive success: an appraisal of the pace‐of‐life syndrome hypothesis

“…The studies challenging the POLS hypothesis often focus on either a single personality, physiology and/or life-history trait correlated with each other (Bijleveld et al 2014;Biro, Adriaenssens & Sampson 2014;Cole & Quinn 2014;Krams et al 2014;Montiglio et al 2014). Here, four personality traits, two measures of fitness and several components of the immune function were used to challenge the POLS hypothesis in T. molitor.…”

“…Kluen, Siitari & Brommer 2014;Royaut e et al 2015). Studies testing the POLS hypothesis often focus on the relationship between a single personality trait and a single life-history and/or physiological trait (Bijleveld et al 2014;Biro, Adriaenssens & Sampson 2014;Cole & Quinn 2014;Krams, Kivleniece, Kuusik, Krama, Freeberg, M€ and, Vrublevska et al 2013;Krams et al 2014;Montiglio et al 2014 but see Kluen, Siitari & Brommer 2014). Assessing the correlation between only one personality trait and only one life-history trait is highly questionable.…”

Recent insights into sublethal effects of pesticides on insect respiratory physiology

“…21 Increasing metabolic rate leads to an increase in water loss rate. 22,23 Insects often endure shorter or longer periods of immobility because of their developmental stage, unfavorable environmental conditions, [23][24][25][26][27] paralysis due to contact with toxicants, 28,29 or death feigning for protection 15,30,31 during which it is important to decrease water loss rate to avoid desiccation.…”

“…Insights on sublethal effects of pesticides on insect respiratory physiology Metabolic rate has been shown to be affected by its sex, 59 behavior, 16,30,31,47,60,61 and body mass, 62 although some studies, for example, in the bumble bee Bombus terrestris L. 16,48,47 failed to find the latter correlation.…”

Personality traits in arthropods

“…A predációs kockázat, mely kapcsolatban van a túléléssel és a stressz-válaszkészséggel nem csak a viselkedési típustól, de az állatok metabolikus rátájától is függhet. Közönséges lisztbogárnál (Tenebrio molitor) azt találták (KRAMS et al 2014), hogy a félénkebb egyedek (azaz amelyek hamar és hosszabb ideig mozdulatlanná válnak egy veszélyes szituációban) nyugalmi metabolikus rátája is alacsonyabb, mint a bátor egyedeknek, mely jól összecseng a korábbi elméleti feltételezésekkel, miszerint a bátor és aktív viselkedés növeli az egyedek energiabeviteli rátáját (BIRO & STAMPS 2008, KORTET et al 2010. BRIFFA et al (2008) terepi és laboratóriumi vizsgálatok során remeterákoknál (Pagurus bernhardus) mutatták ki a viselkedésben megjelenő konzisztens, egyedek közötti különbségeket, valamint az egyeden belüli változatosságot ("intra-individuális variabilitást").…”