KORZAN, Wayne J; OVERLI, Oyvind; WATT, Michael J; FORSTER, Gina L; HOGLUND, Erik; SUMMERS, Cliff H; University of South Dakota; University of South Dakota; University of South Dakota; University of South Dakota; Oslo University; University of South Dakota: Behavior in Established Social Hierarchies are Influenced by Visual Sympathetic Signals

Many species of animals utilize elaborate signaling during aggressive interactions to facilitate the formation of social hierarchies. During an agonistic interaction between two male Anolis carolinensis a visual sign stimuli (eyespots) has been shown to influence the establishment of social status. Male Anolis carolinensis that are matched for size with no manipulation and introduced, establish a dominant-subordinate relationship. After one week of separation the established hierarchy still exist when they are reintroduced. Previous experiments manipulating the eyespot region by darkening the area with black paint on one animal and masking the eyespot region on the opponent with green paint results in 100% of the animals with darkened eyespots becoming dominant. This suggests that eyespots are a potent sign stimuli involved in establishing social status. The current study was designed to test the possibility that eyespot presence may reverse previously established social status. Periods of one and three days between establishment of hierarchy and re-testing were used to investigate whether solitary recovery time and eyespot manipulation influenced the previously established hierarchies. Although eyespots potently inhibit aggression, eyespot manipulation did not reverse previously established social hierarchies except in a few interactions. The results of this and other recent experiments suggest that males learn and remember social status relationships. Supported by NIMH NRSA 1F31MH/NS64983-01 and NSF-9720642 to WJK and NIH P20 RR15567 wkorzan@usd.edu