Assessing the influence of behavioural parameterisation on the dispersal of larvae in marine systems

•3D dispersal modelling used to show how larval behaviours influence predictions.•Novel swimming behaviours based on field data tested against passive and TVM.•Spatial patterns of larval dispersal are influenced by behavioural mode•Excluding behaviour leads to overestimates of dispersal for PLDs longer than 1 day.•Results highlight the sensitivity of biophysical models to behavioural inputs.