Meeting Abstract

55.4  Jan. 6  Hormones, sexual signals, and performance of green anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis) HUSAK, J. F.*; IRSCHICK, D. J.; MEYERS, J. J.; MOORE, I. T.; Virginia Tech; Univ. of Massachusetts; Univ. of Massachusetts; Virginia Tech husak@vt.edu

The functional capacities of structures used as weapons during male contests for access to females have been shown to be important determinants of male fitness. However, male territorial interactions do not always involve physical aggression involving the weapon. Instead, sexual signals may advertise weapon quality and capacity. Despite the empirical evidence to support the link between signal size and weapon quality, we know surprisingly little about the mechanisms that underlie this link. We studied weapon performance (bite-force performance), signal size (dewlap size), and steroid hormone levels in a population of the green anole lizard (Anolis carolinensis), a species that exhibits strong sexual dimorphism and intense male competition for access to females. We explore whether testosterone mediates the connection between bite-force capacity and dewlap size in different size-classes of sexually mature males. We also investigate the influence of the stress hormone corticosterone on bite-force performance and dewlap size in males.