Variation in risk-taking versus risk-averse behaviour can become a target of natural and/or sexual selection. However, the link between animal personality and mate choice—as a major component of sexual selection—remains understudied. We asked (1) whether females and males of the livebearing fish Poecilia mexicana prefer risk-taking mating partners (directional mating preference), (2) or if their preferences are dependent on the choosing individual’s own personality type (assortative mating). We characterized each individual for its risk-taking behaviour, assessed as time to emerge from shelter and enter an unknown area. In dichotomous association preference tests, we offered two potential mating partners that differed in risk-taking behaviour but were matched for other phenotypic traits (body size, shape, and colouration). Females, but not males, exhibited a strong directional preference for risk-taking over risk-averse mating partners. At the same time, the strength of females’ preferences correlated positively with their own risk-taking scores. Our study is the first to demonstrate that an overall preference for risk-taking mating partners does not preclude effects of choosing individuals’ own personality type on (subtle) individual variation in mating preferences. More generally, two different preferences functions appear to interact to determine the outcome of individual mate choice decisions.

中文翻译：

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不同的偏好函数协同作用：大西洋鳢（Poecilia mexicana）的配偶选择和冒险行为

冒险行为与规避风险行为的差异可能成为自然和/或性选择的目标。然而，动物个性和配偶选择之间的联系——作为性选择的一个主要组成部分——仍未得到充分研究。我们询问 (1) 活产鱼 Poecilia mexicana 的雌性和雄性是否更喜欢冒险的交配伙伴（定向交配偏好），（2）或者他们的偏好是否取决于选择个体自己的性格类型（组合交配）。我们对每个人的冒险行为进行了描述，评估为从避难所出来并进入未知区域的时间。在二分类关联偏好测试中，我们提供了两个潜在的交配伙伴，他们在冒险行为上有所不同，但在其他表型特征（体型、形状和颜色）上相匹配。女性，但不是男性，表现出强烈的冒险倾向，而不是规避风险的交配伙伴。同时，女性偏好的强度与她们自己的冒险分数呈正相关。我们的研究首次证明，对冒险交配伙伴的整体偏好并不排除选择个人自己的性格类型对交配偏好的（微妙）个体差异的影响。更一般地说，两种不同的偏好函数似乎相互作用，以确定个体择偶决定的结果。我们的研究首次证明，对冒险交配伙伴的整体偏好并不排除选择个人自己的性格类型对交配偏好的（微妙）个体差异的影响。更一般地说，两种不同的偏好函数似乎相互作用，以确定个体择偶决定的结果。我们的研究首次证明，对冒险交配伙伴的整体偏好并不排除选择个人自己的性格类型对交配偏好的（微妙）个体差异的影响。更一般地说，两种不同的偏好函数似乎相互作用，以确定个体择偶决定的结果。