Abstract
Population differences in anti-predator behaviour have been demonstrated in several species, although less is known about the genetic basis of these traits. To determine the extent of genetic differences in boldness (defined as exploration of a novel object) and shoaling within and between zebrafish (Danio rerio) populations, and to examine the genetic basis of shoaling behaviour in general, we carried out a study that involved laboratory-raised fish derived from four wild-caught populations. Controlling for differences in rearing environment, significant inter-population differences were found in boldness but not shoaling. A larger shoaling experiment was also performed using one of the populations as the basis of a North Carolina type II breeding design (174 fish in total) to estimate heritability of shoaling tendency. A narrow-sense heritability estimate of 0.40 was obtained, with no apparent dominance effects.
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful to all those who helped with zebrafish collections in Bangladesh and Nepal; in particular Dr. Bhola H. Pradhan and Ash Kumar Rai, and especially Mrs Sushila K. C. This research was funded by the BBSRC (D.W.) and the Leverhulme Trust (V.L.P., R.K.B.). Thanks also to Mr. H. Krause for the zebrafish illustration.
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Wright, D., Rimmer, L.B., Pritchard, V.L. et al. Inter and intra-population variation in shoaling and boldness in the zebrafish (Danio rerio). Naturwissenschaften 90, 374–377 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-003-0443-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-003-0443-2