Genetics of social behaviour in charrs (Salvelinus species)

Juvenile brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) are territorial and have high levels of agonistic behaviour. Juvenile lake charr (S. namaycush) rarely show any indication of territoriality and have very low levels of agonistic behaviour. The inheritance of behaviour in their reciprocal hybrids was investigated by multivariate stepwise discriminant analysis. Lateral display, charge, chase, and forage composed the first canonical axis (87.2% of total dispersion). Pooled hybrid means were closer to that of brook charr, suggesting either directional dominance or modification of the behaviour of hybrids in response to water flow. The mean values of reciprocal hybrids were skewed towards the maternal parent, suggesting a maternal effect in the phenotypic expression of behaviour in these fish.