title: Kleptoparasitism and aggressiveness are influenced by standard metabolic rate in eels.
abstract: Kleptoparasitism refers to either interspecific or intraspecific stealing of food already procured by other species or individuals. Within a given species, individuals might differ in their propensity to use such a tactic, in a similar manner to which they differ in their general level of aggressiveness. Standard metabolic rate is often viewed as a proxy for energy requirements. For this reason, it should directly impact on both kleptoparasitism and aggressiveness when individuals have to share the same food source. In the present study we first assessed the standard metabolic rate (SMR) of 128 juvenile European eels (Anguilla anguilla) by the determination of oxygen consumption. We then tested how the SMR could influence agonistic behavior of individuals competing for food in three distinct trials evenly distributed over three months. We demonstrate that SMR positively correlates with attacks (sum of bite and push events) in all trials. Similarly SMR correlated positively with kleptoparasitism (food theft), but this was significant only for the third trial (month 3). To our knowledge, the present study is the first reporting a link between kleptoparasitism and SMR in a fish species. This has ecological implications owing to the fact that this species is characterized by an environmental sex determination linked to early growth rate. We discuss theses findings in the light of the producer-scrounger foraging game.
authors: INRA, UMR 1224 Ecobiop, Pôle d'Hydrobiologie, Quartier Ibarron, 64310, Saint Pée sur Nivelle, France; UPPA, UMR 1224 Ecobiop, UFR des Sciences de la Côte Basque, allée du parc Montaury, 64600 Anglet, France. Electronic address: bgeffroy31@gmail.com.
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: Geffroy
authors: INRA, UMR 1224 Ecobiop, Pôle d'Hydrobiologie, Quartier Ibarron, 64310, Saint Pée sur Nivelle, France; UPPA, UMR 1224 Ecobiop, UFR des Sciences de la Côte Basque, allée du parc Montaury, 64600 Anglet, France.
authors: Valérie
authors: V
authors: Bolliet
authors: INRA, UMR 1224 Ecobiop, Pôle d'Hydrobiologie, Quartier Ibarron, 64310, Saint Pée sur Nivelle, France; UPPA, UMR 1224 Ecobiop, UFR des Sciences de la Côte Basque, allée du parc Montaury, 64600 Anglet, France.
authors: Agnès
authors: A
authors: Bardonnet
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000931:Antidotes; D001481:Basal Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001699:Biometry; D004524:Eels; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes
keywords: Aggressiveness; Eel; Fish; Kleptoparasitism; Producer-scrounger; SMR