ASSOCIATIONS OF ENERGY METABOLISM, PERSONALITY TRAITS, AND SOCIAL HIERARCHY IN RHODEUS OCELLATUS

This study investigated the relationships among energy metabolism, personality traits, and social hierarchy in breeding-season rosy bitterling (Rhodeus ocellatus), with further analysis of sex-specific differences. The results showed that male R. ocellatus had significantly higher standard metabolic rate (SMR), maximum metabolic rate (MMR), and aerobic scope (AS) than females (P<0.05), indicating a greater metabolic potential in males, likely linked to the high-energy-demand activities during reproduction. In females, SMR was positively correlated with both MMR and AS (P<0.05). In males, SMR was positively correlated with activity, while MMR and AS showed significant positive correlations with aggressiveness (P<0.05). The observed sexual differences in the relationships between metabolism and personality may stem from the distinct selective pressures and behavioral strategies experienced by males and females during reproduction. In both sexes, only activity was significantly and positively correlated with social hierarchy (P<0.05), while metabolic rates showed no correlation with hierarchy. These findings suggest that social hierarchy in R. ocellatus is determined more by behavioral traits than by metabolic levels, and while sex influences the relationship between energy metabolism and personality, it does not affect the mechanism determining social hierarchy.