Caribbean damselfish with varying territory quality: correlated behaviors but not a syndrome

The behavioral syndrome hypothesis suggests that individualanimals within a population behave differently due to specificbehavioral types, and these should be consistent across behaviorsor in different contexts. In contrast, for animals that livewithin an environment in which territory quality can changeover time, natural selection should have favored behavioralflexibility and modulation of the cost of defense in relationto territory quality. This would require assessment of the territoryfollowed by displays of appropriate types and intensities ofbehavior. We examined the territorial behavior of male beaugregorydamselfish (Stegastes leucostictus) by enhancing territory qualityusing artificial breeding sites and comparing their behaviorto males on lower quality natural sites. When male fish weredefending high-quality artificial territories, they had higherlevels of aggression toward male conspecifics and courtshiptoward females than when on low-quality natural territories.We also found that aggression and courtship behaviors were correlatedon natural sites but not on artificial sites. Behaviors werenot correlated within individuals when males switched from naturalto artificial territories or from artificial to natural territories.These results indicate that males assess their current territoriesand adjust behaviors accordingly and that courtship and aggressivebehaviors are not linked within a permanent behavioral syndrome.