A Comparison of the Boldness and Exploratory Behaviours of the Native Virile Crayfish, Orconectes virilis

Invasive species are a major threat to biodiversity and recognizing potential invaders is important for attempting to prevent their spread. There are a number of life history traits that can increase the likelihood that a species will become an invader including rapid growth and high fecundity; however, some behaviours like tendency to explore, boldness and activity can also play a role. In this study I performed several experiments to compare these behaviours in two crayfish species; I compared Orconectes rusticus, a successful invader in Ontario, with its native congener Orconectes virilis, and predicted that O. rusticus would be more active, exploratory, and bold. The results of an emergence test and a simulated predator attack showed that O. rusticus was more exploratory and bold, respectively. Reactions to a novel object showed a similar trend, but were not significantly different. The activity and exploration in an open field test were not conclusive.M.Sc