Bill coloration, a flexible signal in a tropical passerine bird, is regulated by social environment and androgens

Karubian, Jordan; Lindsay, Willow R.; Schwabl, Hubert; Webster, Michael S.

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.01.012

Cited by 63 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Evidence from a comparative analysis of sexual dimorphism in the Maluridae family suggests that the evolution of female bill coloration is a product of selection on females themselves (Karubian, 2013), rather than simply a byproduct of selection on the male phenotype (Lande, 1980). Female bill coloration is important in socio-sexual signaling in other avian species (Burley and Coopersmith, 1987;Murphy et al, 2009), as well as in male red-backed fairy-wrens (Karubian et al, 2011;Lindsay et al, 2009), and can be modulated by T in females (Lahaye et al, 2013;McGraw, 2006;Pham et al, 2014). Thus, androgens circulating in females at physiological rather than pharmacological levels (as induced by T implantation) can act on trait expression and may be the target of selection for mediating functionally significant variation in female ornamentation (Goymann and Wingfield, 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…40 µl) from actively nesting birds before injecting them with 10 µl of either phosphate-buffered saline (control: males N=7, females N=6) or phosphate-buffered saline containing 500 ng of dissolved chicken GnRH (GnRH-I; American Peptide Company, 54-8-23; treatment: males N=39, females N=4). This dosage has been shown to cause maximal LH response in other passerines (Wingfield and Farner, 1993) and to elevate androgen production in male redbacked fairy-wrens (Karubian et al, 2011). See Barron et al (2015) for further details.…”

Section: Testosterone Manipulation and Gnrh Challengementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Male red-backed fairy-wrens express discrete sexually selected (Karubian, 2002;Webster et al, 2008) and T-dependent variation in plumage and bill coloration (Karubian et al, 2011;Lindsay et al, 2011Lindsay et al, , 2009); males with low T titres during the prenuptial molt produce female-typical brown plumage and pale bills, whereas those with high T produce ornamented red/black plumage and black bills (Lindsay et al, 2009). Females can naturally produce some elements of the elaborate male phenotype (red feathers and darkened bill; see Results), though trait elaboration is rare and never reaches levels expressed by males despite elevated and variable T during the breeding season (Schwabl et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Testosterone activates sexual dimorphism including male-typical carotenoid but not melanin plumage pigmentation in a female bird

Lindsay

Barron

Webster

et al. 2016

Journal of Experimental Biology

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In males it is frequently testosterone (T) that activates the expression of sexually selected morphological and behavioral displays, but the role of T in regulating similar traits in females is less clear. Here, we combine correlational data with results from T and gonadotropinreleasing hormone (GnRH) manipulations in both sexes to assess the role of T in mediating sexually dimorphic coloration and morphology in the red-backed fairy-wren (Malurus melanocephalus). We show that: (1) natural variation in female expression of ornamental traits (darkened bills and red back feathers) is positively associated with age and circulating androgen titres, (2) females have the capacity to express most male-typical traits in response to exogenous T, including carotenoid-pigmented body plumage, shorter feathers, darkened bill and enlarged cloacal protuberance, but (3) appear constrained in production of male-typical melanin-pigmented plumage, and (4) low androgen levels during the pre-nuptial molt, probably because of low ovarian capacity for steroid production (or luteinizing hormone sensitivity), prevent females from developing male-like ornamentation. Thus, females appear to retain molecular mechanisms for hormonally regulated male-typical ornamentation, although these are rarely activated because of insufficient production of the hormonal signal.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Testosterone Manipulation and Gnrh Challengementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Testosterone activates sexual dimorphism including male-typical carotenoid but not melanin plumage pigmentation in a female bird

Lindsay

Barron

Webster

et al. 2016

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…No studies have attempted to explicitly link melanin in bare parts to aggression or dominance, but black bill color is linked to testosterone expression in House Sparrows and Red-backed Fairywrens (Malurus melanocephalus; Laucht et al 2010, Karubian et al 2011). In the families Phasianidae and Rallidae, comb and wattle size predicts the outcome of dominance interactions (Allee et al 1939, Collias 1943, Gullion 1951, Gjesdal 1977, Moss et al 1979, Holder and Montgomerie 1993, Buchholz 1997, Mateos and Carranza 1997, Zuk and Johnsen 2000, Dey et al 2014.…”

Section: Bare Parts In Competitive Interactionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlations of Condition, Testosterone, and Age with Multiple Ornaments in Male House Sparrows: Patterns and Implications

Laucht¹,

Dale²

2012

The Condor

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“…Nonetheless, communication signals that are regulated by sex steroids rarely reflect sex steroid levels at the time the signals are produced (Adkins-Regan, 2008), which should make it even less likely that signals could accurately reflect other behaviorally relevant phenotypic traits regulated by sex steroids. Various factors can mask or impair phenotypic integration and ultimately compromise signal reliability, for instance differences in tissue sensitivity, receptor density or binding affinity, the time scale of the response to hormone levels, the plasticity of the signal, or the intervention of other hormonal regulators (Adkins-Regan, 2008;Ball et al, 2008;Kempenaers et al, 2008;Karubian et al, 2011). Despite these theoretical limitations, endogenous androgen levels (testosterone and 11-KT) are tightly linked to the duration of the EOD's second phase (Fig.3) .…”

Section: Can a Hormone-responsive Signal Convey Reliable Information mentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral ecology, endocrinology and signal reliability of electric communication

Gavassa

Goldina

Silva

et al. 2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SummaryThe balance between the costs and benefits of conspicuous animal communication signals ensures that signal expression relates to the quality of the bearer. Signal plasticity enables males to enhance conspicuous signals to impress mates and competitors and to reduce signal expression to lower energetic and predation-related signaling costs when competition is low. While signal plasticity may benefit the signaler, it can compromise the reliability of the information conveyed by the signals. In this paper we review the effect of signal plasticity on the reliability of the electrocommunication signal of the gymnotiform fish Brachyhypopomus gauderio. We (1) summarize the endocrine regulation of signal plasticity, (2) explore the regulation of signal plasticity in females, (3) examine the information conveyed by the signal, (4) show how that information changes when the signal changes, and (5) consider the energetic strategies used to sustain expensive signaling. The electric organ discharge (EOD) of B. gauderio changes in response to social environment on two time scales. Two hormone classes, melanocortins and androgens, underlie the short-term and long-term modulation of signal amplitude and duration observed during social interaction. Population density drives signal amplitude enhancement, unexpectedly improving the reliability with which the signal predicts the signalerʼs size. The signalʼs second phase elongation predicts androgen levels and male reproductive condition. Males sustain signal enhancement with dietary intake, but when food is limited, they ʻgo for brokeʼ and put extra energy into electric signals. Cortisol diminishes EOD parameters, but energy-limited males offset cortisol effects by boosting androgen levels. While physiological constraints are sufficient to maintain signal amplitude reliability, phenotypic integration and signaling costs maintain reliability of signal duration, consistent with theory of honest signaling. on the reliability of the information conveyed by the signal. In this paper, we (1) discuss the endocrine mechanisms that regulate signal plasticity in males, (2) explore whether those mechanisms are also present in females, (3) examine the information conveyed by the signal, (4) examine how that information changes when the signal changes, and finally (5) consider the energetic strategies used to sustain expensive signaling.

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Bill coloration, a flexible signal in a tropical passerine bird, is regulated by social environment and androgens

Cited by 63 publications

References 42 publications

Testosterone activates sexual dimorphism including male-typical carotenoid but not melanin plumage pigmentation in a female bird

Testosterone activates sexual dimorphism including male-typical carotenoid but not melanin plumage pigmentation in a female bird

Correlations of Condition, Testosterone, and Age with Multiple Ornaments in Male House Sparrows: Patterns and Implications

Behavioral ecology, endocrinology and signal reliability of electric communication

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