title: European green lizard (Lacerta viridis) personalities: Linking behavioural types to ecologically relevant traits at different ontogenetic stages.
abstract: Consistent individual differences within (animal personality) and across (behavioural syndrome) behaviours became well recognized during the past decade. Nevertheless, our knowledge about the evolutionary and developmental mechanisms behind the phenomena is still incomplete. Here, we explored if risk-taking and exploration were consistent and linked to different ecologically relevant traits in wild-caught adult male European green lizards (Lacerta viridis) and in their 2-3 weeks old laboratory-reared offspring. Both adults and juveniles displayed animal personality, consistency being higher in juveniles. We found correlation between risk-taking and exploration (suggestive of a behavioural syndrome) only in adults. Juveniles were more explorative than adults. Large or ectoparasite-free adult males were more explorative than small or parasitized males. Juvenile females tended to be more risk-taking than males. Behaviour of fathers and their offspring did not correlate. We conclude that European green lizards show high behavioural consistency and age is an important determinant of its strength and links to traits likely affecting fitness.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary; Laboratório de Biogeografia e Macroecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Botânica, Ecologia e Zoologia, Campus Universitário - Lagoa Nova, 59078-900 Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bajer
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address: gergohorvath@caesar.elte.hu.
authors.forename: Gergely
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Horváth
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary; Department of Biological Sciences, Darthmouth College, Life Sciences Center, 78 College Street, Hanover, NH 03766, USA.
authors.forename: Orsolya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Molnár
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: János
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Török
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, c/Americo Vespucio, s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: László Zsolt
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Garamszegi
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herczeg
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D004777:Environment; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005260:Female; D007206:Individuality; D008116:Lizards / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010858:Pigmentation; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012727:Sex Characteristics
keywords: Animal personality; Behavioural syndrome; Temperament