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Sex steroid correlates of female-specific colouration, behaviour and reproductive state in Lake Eyre dragon lizards, Ctenophorus maculosus

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Abstract

In some species, females develop bright colouration to signal reproductive status and exhibit behavioural repertoires to incite male courtship and/or reduce male harassment and forced copulation. Sex steroids, including progesterone and testosterone, potentially mediate female reproductive colouration and reproductive behaviour. We measured associations among plasma profiles of testosterone and progesterone with variation in colour expression and reproductive behaviour, including unique courtship rejection behaviours, in female Lake Eyre dragon lizards, (Ctenophorus maculosus). At onset of breeding, progesterone and testosterone increased with vitellogenesis, coincident with colour intensification and sexual receptivity, indicated by acceptance of copulations. As steroid levels peaked around the inferred ovulation time, maximal colour development occurred and sexual receptivity declined. When females were gravid and exhibited maximal mate rejection behaviours, progesterone levels remained consistently high, while testosterone exhibited a discrete second peak. At oviposition, significant declines in plasma steroid levels, fading of colouration and a dramatic decrease in male rejection behaviours co-occurred. Our results indicate a generally concordant association among steroid levels, colouration, behaviour and reproductive events. However, the prolonged elevation in progesterone and a second peak of testosterone was unrelated to reproductive state or further colour change, possibly suggesting selection on females to retain high steroid levels for inducing rejection behaviours.

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Abbreviations

JND:

Just noticeable difference

SE:

Standard error

SD:

Standard deviation

LWS:

Long wavelength sensitive

GLMM:

General linear mixed model

LSD:

Least squared difference

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Acknowledgments

We thank Adnan Moussalli for assistance in the field, Mats Olsson for advice and expertise through the course of the project and Cindy and Trevor Mitchell for their hospitality at Muloorina Station. Funding was from the Australian Research Council and the University of Melbourne. South Australian Department of Environment and Heritage permit to undertake scientific research S25421_1; Wildlife Ethics Committee approval 13/2007; University of Melbourne Animal Ethics Committee approval 0701400.1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria, Parkville, 3052, Australia

    Tim S. Jessop

  2. Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Australia

    Rita Chan & Devi Stuart-Fox

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  1. Tim S. Jessop
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  2. Rita Chan
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  3. Devi Stuart-Fox
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Correspondence to Devi Stuart-Fox.

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Jessop, T.S., Chan, R. & Stuart-Fox, D. Sex steroid correlates of female-specific colouration, behaviour and reproductive state in Lake Eyre dragon lizards, Ctenophorus maculosus . J Comp Physiol A 195, 619–630 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-009-0437-4

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