In many animal societies, individuals differ consistently in their ability to win agonistic
interactions, resulting in dominance hierarchies. These differences arise due to a range of …

Identifying how dominance within and between the sexes is established is pivotal to
understanding sexual selection and sexual conflict. In many species, members of one sex …

Background Sexual selection has driven sexual dimorphism in agonistic behaviour in many
species. Agonistic behaviour is fundamentally altered by domestication and captivity, but it is …

Behavioural types (ie, personalities or temperament) are defined as among individual
differences in behavioural traits that are consistent over time and ecological contexts …

Dominance relationships are a defining feature of the social organization of many animal
species. Populations structured by absolute dominance usually maintain a generally linear …

Visual signals, including changes in coloration and color patterns, are frequently used by
animals to convey information. During contests, body coloration and its changes can be …

A recurrent question in animal contests is whether individuals adopt a self or mutual
assessment rule to decide to withdraw from a contest. However, many empirical studies fail …

Animals often engage in contests over limited resources. The probability of winning a
contest is primarily determined by the individual's fighting ability relative to its opponent and …

Dusky damselfish (Stegastes fuscus) behaviour was investigated under natural and
controlled conditions to evaluate how territory and familiarity affect aggressive behaviour. In …

Highlights•Skill has recently been shown to be a key determinant of fighting success.•Skill is
assumed to rely on innate capacities for motor control (technique).•But opponent …