Journal article
A potential mate influences reproductive development in female, but not male, pine siskins
Hormones and behavior, Vol.80, pp.39-46
04/2016
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/107451
PMCID: PMC4818704
PMID: 26836771
Abstract
The role of photoperiod in avian reproductive timing has been well studied, and we are increasingly recognizing the roles of other environmental cues such as social cues. However, few studies have evaluated the extent to which males and females of the same species respond similarly to the same type of cue. Moreover, previous studies have rarely examined how variation in the quality or nature of a given social cue might modulate its effect. Here, we examine the sensitivity of male and female pine siskins (Spinus pinus) to a potential mate as a stimulatory cue for gonadal recrudescence, and we investigate whether variation in the relationship between a bird and its potential mate modulates the effect of that potential mate. Birds were initially housed without opposite sex birds on a 12L:12D photoperiod with ad libitum food. After gonadal recrudescence had begun males and females were randomly paired with an opposite sex bird or housed alone. An additional group of males was paired with estradiol-implanted females. In males, these social treatments had no effect on testis length, cloacal protuberance length, luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, or testosterone levels. In females, presence of a potential mate had a significant and positive effect on ovary score, defeathering of the brood patch, and LH levels. Among paired birds, the degree of affiliation within a pair corresponded to the extent of reproductive development in females, but not males. Thus, reproductive timing in females appears to be sensitive to both the presence of a potential mate and her relationship with him.
•We investigated the effect of a potential mate on gonadal recrudescence in pine siskins.•The presence of a mate enhanced gonadal recrudescence in females, but not males.•The degree of affiliation of a pair may modulate the effect of a mate in females.
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Details
- Title
- A potential mate influences reproductive development in female, but not male, pine siskins
- Creators
- Heather E Watts - Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USABruce Edley - Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USAThomas P Hahn - Department of Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior, University of California, Davis 95616, USA
- Publication Details
- Hormones and behavior, Vol.80, pp.39-46
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Identifiers
- 99900574624701842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article