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Publication
Androgens and Mating Systems in Fish: Intra- and Inter-specific Analysis
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
One of the predictions of the ‘challenge hypothesis’ (Wingfield et
al., 1990) is that androgen patterns during the breeding season should
vary among species according to the parenting and mating system.
Here we assess this prediction of the challenge hypothesis both at
the intra- and at the inter-specific level. To test the hypothesis at the
inter-specific level, a literature survey on published androgen pat-
terns from teleost fish with different mating systems was carried out.
The results confirm the predicted effect of mating system on andro-
gen levels. To test the hypothesis at an intra-specific level, a species
with flexible reproductive strategies (i.e. monogamy vs. polygyny),
the Saint Peter’s fish was studied. Polygynous males had higher 11-
ketotestosterone levels. However, males implanted with methyl-tes-
tosterone did not became polygynous and the variation of the ten-
dency to desert their pair mates was better explained by the repro-
ductive state of the female partner. This result stresses the point that
the effects of behaviour on hormones cannot be considered without
respect to the social context.
Description
Keywords
androgens
Citation
Oliveira, R. F.; Ros, A. F. H.; Hirschenhauser, K.; Canario, A. V. M.Androgens and Mating Systems in Fish: Intra- and Inter-specific Analysis, In Perspective in Comparative Endocrinology Unity and Diversity, 985-993, ISBN: 978-88-3231-526-4. Sorrento (Napoli), Italy : Monduzzi Editore MEDIMOND s.r.l., 2001