An investigation of personality in the Creek Chub, Semotilus atromaculatus

Abstract Intraspecific variation in personality traits is increasingly recognized as an important driver of ecological processes, particularly within the context of species invasions. However, relatively few studies have investigated personality in native fauna with more localized dispersal patterns, and information regarding the existence of personality in stream fishes native to the southeastern US is particularly lacking. In this study, we investigated personality in a native and widespread minnow species, the Creek Chub ( Semotilus atromaculatus ). Because of its piscivorous diet, use of its nests by nest-associating minnows, and its role as a colonizer of intermittent streams, the Creek Chub is an appropriate species for investigating the broad importance of personality-dependent processes to stream communities. We identified personality traits by estimating the repeatability of sociability, boldness, exploration, and activity in two separate behavioral assays and interpreted correlations between traits as evidence of behavioral syndromes. We did not detect repeatability for measures of sociability, possibly due to predatory interactions within this species. However, boldness, exploration, and activity were significantly repeatable and positively correlated, pointing to the existence of a bold-exploratory-active syndrome in this species. Larger individuals tended to be less active, and, despite a relatively small sample size, we detected significant differences between source populations for measures of boldness. This is the first study to identify the existence of a behavioral syndrome in Creek Chub and points to the importance of considering the role of personality in ecological processes involving native fauna.