Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Understanding inter-species differences in behavioral lateralization and exploration patterns is crucial for advancing the study of animal behavior. In this study, we standardized the experimental procedure to minimize methodological variability and examined the behavioral responses of eight fish species (Girardinus falcatus, Poecilia reticulata, Paracheidon axelrodi, Kriptoterus bichirris, Hyphessobrycon megalopterus, Danio rerio, Corydoras aeneus, and Xenopoecilius sarasinorum) in a novel, circular environment. We focused on boldness-related measures (latency to explore and freezing time) and motor activity (circular vs. linear swimming). Significant inter-species differences were observed in the boldness measures. Fish also showed a preference for circular swimming over linear swimming. However, no lateralization bias (clockwise vs. counterclockwise) was detected in any species. These findings may establish a baseline for future research on the spontaneous behaviors of eight teleost species and offer valuable insights for the design of future behavioral studies focusing on these species.
Source: Symmetry
DOI: 10.3390/sym17071030
Institution: University of Padua
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,896
Funder: Università degli Studi di Padova
Award: G952189410
OpenAlex ID: W4411902657