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Behavioural individuality in clonal fish arises despite near-identical rearing conditions

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  • David Bierbach

    (Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries)

  • Kate L. Laskowski

    (Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries)

  • Max Wolf

    (Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries)

Abstract

Behavioural individuality is thought to be caused by differences in genes and/or environmental conditions. Therefore, if these sources of variation are removed, individuals are predicted to develop similar phenotypes lacking repeatable individual variation. Moreover, even among genetically identical individuals, direct social interactions are predicted to be a powerful factor shaping the development of individuality. We use tightly controlled ontogenetic experiments with clonal fish, the Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa), to test whether near-identical rearing conditions and lack of social contact dampen individuality. In sharp contrast to our predictions, we find that (i) substantial individual variation in behaviour emerges among genetically identical individuals isolated directly after birth into highly standardized environments and (ii) increasing levels of social experience during ontogeny do not affect levels of individual behavioural variation. In contrast to the current research paradigm, which focuses on genes and/or environmental drivers, our findings suggest that individuality might be an inevitable and potentially unpredictable outcome of development.

Suggested Citation

  • David Bierbach & Kate L. Laskowski & Max Wolf, 2017. "Behavioural individuality in clonal fish arises despite near-identical rearing conditions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-7, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms15361
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15361
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicholas DiRienzo & J Chadwick Johnson & Anna Dornhaus, 2019. "Juvenile social experience generates differences in behavioral variation but not averages," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 30(2), pages 455-464.
    2. David J Mitchell & Antoine M Dujon & Christa Beckmann & Peter A Biro & Niels Dingemanse, 2020. "Temporal autocorrelation: a neglected factor in the study of behavioral repeatability and plasticity," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 31(1), pages 222-231.

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