Abstract Mutualistic interactions involve 2 species beneficially cooperating, but it is not clear how these interactions are maintained. In many mutualisms, one species interacts with multiple species, and since partners differ in terms of the commodities they trade, partner identity will directly influence the decisions and behaviors of interacting individuals. Here, we investigated the consequences of within and between-species diversity on a model cleaner–client interaction in a natural environment, by quantifying the behavior of both partners. We found that the predominant Caribbean cleaner fish, the sharknose goby (Elacatinus evelynae), shows personality variation as we documented repeatable individual differences in activity, boldness, and exploratory behaviors. Personality variation was associated with cleaner–client interactions: cleaner boldness and activity were significantly related to posing by clients and cleaning, respectively. Cleaner personality variation was also associated with the functional identity (sociality, mobility, body size, and trophic level) of clients posing and being cleaned. We thus demonstrate that partner identity can have consequences on mutualistic outcomes which will contribute to the context-dependency and highly heterogeneous patterns we observe at a population level. We also suggest that within- and between-species differences have consequences on partner choice, a feature that has been previously thought to be absent from these cleaner–client interactions.

中文翻译：

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清洁个性和客户身份对清洁互动动态有共同的影响

摘要 互惠互作涉及两个物种的有益合作，但尚不清楚这些互作是如何维持的。在许多共生关系中，一个物种与多个物种相互作用，并且由于合作伙伴在交易的商品方面不同，合作伙伴身份将直接影响互动个体的决策和行为。在这里，我们通过量化双方的行为，研究了物种内和物种间多样性对自然环境中模型清洁器与客户交互的影响。我们发现主要的加勒比清洁鱼，鲨鱼虾虎鱼 (Elacatinus evelynae)，在我们记录活动、大胆和探索行为方面可重复的个体差异时表现出个性差异。个性变化与更清洁的客户互动有关：清洁工的大胆和活跃分别与客户摆姿势和清洁工作显着相关。清洁者的性格变化也与摆姿势和被清洁者的功能身份（社交性、流动性、体型和营养水平）有关。因此，我们证明了合作伙伴身份会对互惠结果产生影响，这将有助于我们在人口水平上观察到的上下文依赖性和高度异质性的模式。我们还建议，物种内和物种间的差异会对伴侣的选择产生影响，此前人们认为这些更清洁的客户互动中不存在这一特征。移动、体型和营养水平）的客户摆姿势和被清洁。因此，我们证明了合作伙伴身份会对互惠结果产生影响，这将有助于我们在人口水平上观察到的上下文依赖性和高度异质性的模式。我们还建议，物种内和物种间的差异会对伴侣的选择产生影响，此前人们认为这些更清洁的客户互动中不存在这一特征。移动、体型和营养水平）的客户摆姿势和被清洁。因此，我们证明了合作伙伴身份会对互惠结果产生影响，这将有助于我们在人口水平上观察到的上下文依赖性和高度异质性的模式。我们还建议，物种内和物种间的差异会对伴侣的选择产生影响，此前人们认为这些更清洁的客户互动中不存在这一特征。