Meeting Abstract

P2.37  Thursday, Jan. 5  Inter-strain Differences in Personality and Learning in the Self-Fertilizing Mangrove Killifish, Kryptolebias marmoratus Poey 1880 BECHLER, D.L.*; ELDER, J.F.; Valdosta State Univereisty, Valdosta, Georgia; Valdosta State Univereisty, Valdosta, Georgia dbechler@valdosta.edu

This study identifies inter-strain differences in shy and bold personality traits and learning in the self-fertilizing hermaphroditic mangrove killifish, Kryptolebias marmoratus. Taking into account behavioral plasticity, data show that significant inter-strain differences are consistent not only in fertile egg laying adults, but also in newly hatched juveniles 7-10 days old. Analyses showed that the most bold strains spent significantly less time in a sheltered area (Lag Time or latency) and more time in the open (time in open or exploration) regardless of whether or not a stimulus was present or not while shyer strains showed more or less time in shelters or in the open respectively. Principle Components Analyses identified Lag Time as the single best correlate of shyness verses boldness in both adults and juveniles. The applicability of using K. marmoratus for both mechanistic and functional behavioral studies based on genetic structure and behavioral plasticity is discussed.