Meeting Abstract

P1.222  Friday, Jan. 4  The effect of variation in endocrine mechanisms on natural display behavior in Caribbean Anolis lizards CASTRO, DJ*; ROBINSON, CD; JOHNSON, MA; Trinity University; Trinity University; Trinity University dcastro1@trinity.edu

Sexual display behaviors often consist of elaborate performances designed to attract potential mates. In Anolis lizard species, display behaviors consist of dewlap (i.e., throat fan) extensions and pushups, and species can vary dramatically in their patterns of display. In this study we observed the natural behavior of adult males of three sympatric species of Anolis lizards from the Barahona region in southwestern Dominican Republic. We found that A. coelestinus and A. cybotes generally perform few dewlap extensions and many pushups in each display bout, while A. brevirostris performs similar numbers of both display behaviors in each bout. We also conducted controlled arena trials in order to provoke aggressive displays between pairs of conspecific males, and we found display patterns consistent with the natural behavior of the species. Because previous studies have shown that an increase in circulating androgens is associated with an increase in sexual display behavior, we aimed to test whether differences in androgen receptors in the muscles controlling dewlap extension and pushups are associated with the frequency of use of that particular muscle during displays. We quantified the concentration of androgen receptors in the muscles through immunocytochemistry, and found species-specific variation in androgen receptor expression across tissue types. This study will allow us to determine how variation in endocrine mechanisms can lead to variation in social display behavior in anoles.