Squid have personality
As reported on ABC online, a recently completed PhD thesis by David Sinn from the University of Tasmania has revealed that the Southern Dumpling Squid Euprymna tasmanica has personality:
Squid have personalities that appear to be passed down from parent to offspring, but those traits can be modified by environment, an Australian researcher says. University of Tasmania research fellow Dr David Sinn has observed behaviour in the southern dumpling squid, Euprymna tasmanica, which is found in waters around South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. He says that in general, these squid tend to be solitary, unromantic animals with a propensity to cannibalise their neighbours and take sexual favours by force. Within that profile, Dr Sinn has found some squid are shy, retiring, cautious types while others are bold, assertive and adventurous. “It turns out some squid are bolder than others,” he said. “For example, when presented by a threatening stimulus, they attack the stimulus or are ambivalent to it. “Others are shyer, they don’t inspect a threat, they back up, they flee.”
Fans of squid sex will be interested in the follow up work to this project:
Dr Sinn’s next project is to investigate the role of personality in the sex life of squid. He says mating in the squid world is forceful on the part of the male, but females play a role in choosing to associate with prospective mates or in attempting to rebuff unwanted advances. He says early evidence suggests bolder females prefer bolder males, while shy females are less choosy.
The complete PhD thesis can be downloaded from here.
Citation: Sinn, Dr David L. (2005) From Individuals to Populations: Personality traits in Southern Dumpling Squid (Euprymna tasmanica Pfeffer, 1884) and their life history correlates. PhD thesis, School of Aquaculture, University of Tasmania.
April 25th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
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