Meeting Abstract
P2.91 Friday, Jan. 4 Pheromones and Sexual Attraction in the Western Clawed Frog (Xenopus tropicalis) PARTYKA, M.*; SCHWENDIMAN, A.L.; SEARCY, B.T.; OWEN, M.C.; HURLOCK, C.; CHANTAROJWONG, T. ; PROPPER, C.R.; Tulane University, New Orleans; Northern Arizona University; Northern Arizona University; Northern Arizona University; Northern Arizona University; Northern Arizona University; Northern Arizona University mpartyka@tulane.edu
Amphibians produce pheromones which are known to affect communication and courtship behavior. Previous research has shown that several urodeles use pheromones which attract conspecifics of the opposite sex. In anurans, only a limited number of species have been found to produce sex-attracting pheromones. In those cases, the pheromone was produced by males and attracted conspecific females. We investigated whether the Western Clawed Frog, Xenopus tropicalis, produces pheromones attractive to conspecifics. We assessed attraction using an aquatic Y-maze with two water choices flowing into the ends of each test arm. Specifically male or female frogs were tested in a maze containing water of the (1) opposite sex v. control (the conditioned reverse osmosis water used to house animals), (2) same sex v. control, and a sex preference condition with (3) male v. female water. Females did not respond differently to water that previously contained conspecifics of either sex, and males did not respond to water that previously contained conspecific males. However, males spent significantly more time in the female arm of the maze than the control arm (p=0.0209). When given the choice between males or females, a trend towards males choosing the female arm over the male arm is present (p=0.06). These findings indicate that males do detect water that previously contained a female. Our study is the first to support the hypothesis that anurans may produce female pheromones attractive to males. Further investigation is needed to clarify the role of pheromonal communication in the sexual behavior of X. tropicalis.
