Meeting Abstract
Acoustic signaling is a vital component of courtship and agonistic behaviors. In fishes, acoustic signals advertise important characteristics, such as mate quality and sexual receptivity. These signals also have the capacity to modulate the endocrine response of the target individual. We used the Blacktail Shiner (Cyprinella venusta), a soniferous cyprinid, as a model to investigate the acoustic modulation of gonadal hormones. Male and female C. venusta were exposed to two conspecific call types: growls and knocks. We used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure changes in waterborne levels of estradiol, testosterone, and 11-ketotestosterone (11KT) during exposure to acoustic signals. Males exposed to knocks exhibited a significant elevation in 11-ketotestosterone and testosterone; knocks are frequently produced during aggressive interactions. Females exhibited a significant decrease in estradiol after exposure to growls; a signal produced during courtship – suggesting that acoustic cues facilitate spawning by synchronizing gamete release. Future work aims to investigate the modulation of hormone levels while presenting an acoustic and visual cue simultaneously.
