Journal
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
Volume 81, Issue 4, Pages 859-863Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.01.025
Keywords
activity; aggressiveness; behavioural syndrome; boldness; coloration; Eurotestudo boettgeri; exploration; melanin; personality; tortoise
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Funding
- Swiss National Science Foundation [31003A_120517]
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences (JSPS) [21500358]
- Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research [21500358] Funding Source: KAKEN
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) [31003A_120517] Funding Source: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
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Although body coloration is often used in social interactions, few studies have tested whether it is linked to a suite of behavioural traits. We examined whether among captive adult male eastern Hermann's tortoises, Eurotestudo boettgeri, behavioural patterns covary with eumelanic coloration of the shell. Dark eumelanic males were more aggressive in male-male confrontations and bolder towards humans. These relationships were independent of body size and ambient temperature. Activity level and exploration were not significantly associated with coloration. We conclude that, at least in captivity, melanic shell coloration predicts agonistic behaviour towards conspecifics and fearfulness towards humans (i.e. boldness). (C) 2011 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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