Hormones and Sexual Behavior of Teleost Fishes

Gonçalves, David; Oliveira, Rui F.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-374932-1.00007-x

Cited by 11 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 238 publications

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“…However, the fact that androgens modulate the expression of sex-specific behavior does not demonstrate per se that they are necessary for its expression. In fact, a compilation of the effects of castration on reproductive and aggressive behavior across different fish species shows divergent results (see Oliveira and Gonçalves (2008), and Gonçalves and Oliveira (2010) for recent reviews). Castration reduced or abolished the expression of reproductive behaviors, such as nest building, nuptial coloration or courtship displays, in some species, whereas it had no effect in others (Oliveira and Gonçalves, 2008;Gonçalves and Oliveira, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In fact, a compilation of the effects of castration on reproductive and aggressive behavior across different fish species shows divergent results (see Oliveira and Gonçalves (2008), and Gonçalves and Oliveira (2010) for recent reviews). Castration reduced or abolished the expression of reproductive behaviors, such as nest building, nuptial coloration or courtship displays, in some species, whereas it had no effect in others (Oliveira and Gonçalves, 2008;Gonçalves and Oliveira, 2010). Similarly, the effects of castration on aggressive behavior ranged from negative, to neutral, and even to positive (Oliveira and Gonçalves, 2008;Gonçalves and Oliveira, 2010), and divergent results can be found within the same species (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Castration reduced or abolished the expression of reproductive behaviors, such as nest building, nuptial coloration or courtship displays, in some species, whereas it had no effect in others (Oliveira and Gonçalves, 2008;Gonçalves and Oliveira, 2010). Similarly, the effects of castration on aggressive behavior ranged from negative, to neutral, and even to positive (Oliveira and Gonçalves, 2008;Gonçalves and Oliveira, 2010), and divergent results can be found within the same species (e.g. Gasterosteus aculeatus; Hoar, 1962;Baggerman, 1966;Wootton, 1970).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Castration affects reproductive but not aggressive behavior in a cichlid fish

Almeida

Canário

Oliveira

2014

General and Comparative Endocrinology

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a b s t r a c tGonads are the main source of sex steroids, which have been implicated in the regulation of sexually differentiated behavior, such as reproductive and aggressive displays. In the Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) territorial males have higher androgen levels than non-territorials, express reproductive behavior and use a urine-borne pheromone to signal their social status towards conspecifics. Here we investigated the effects of gonadectomy on the circulating levels of androgens and cortisol, and on the expression of aggressive and reproductive behavior (nest building, courtship behavior, and nuptial coloration). Males were either castrated, urine bladder damaged, or sham-operated and visually exposed to a group of females during 8 consecutive days and subsequently to a male on day 9. The urine bladder damaged treatment was included in the experimental design because a full castration procedure in this species causes quite often damage to the urine bladder. Gonadectomy lowers dramatically the circulating levels of androgens measured at 4 and 8 days post-castration and abolishes the expression of nest building, courtship behavior and nuptial coloration, but has no effect on the expression of aggressive behavior. These results confirm the gonads as the main source of androgens in this species and show that androgens are necessary for the expression of reproductive behaviors. However, the expression of aggressive behavior seems to be decoupled from gonadal steroids, namely androgens, suggesting the action of independent central mechanisms.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Castration affects reproductive but not aggressive behavior in a cichlid fish

Almeida

Canário

Oliveira

2014

General and Comparative Endocrinology

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“…Nevertheless, in fishes, T has seldom been implicated in the regulation of sexual display behaviours in females. Indeed, a stimulatory effect of T on sexual behaviour of females has been reported for masu salmon [43] but not for any other fish species (reviewed in [44]). In this study, the sexual behaviour of females implanted with T did not differ from the behaviour of control females, showing that this androgen did not promote sexual displays in females.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oestradiol and prostaglandin F2α regulate sexual displays in females of a sex-role reversed fish

et al. 2014

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The mechanisms regulating sexual behaviours in female vertebrates are still poorly understood, mainly because in most species sexual displays in females are more subtle and less frequent than displays in males. In a sex-role reversed population of a teleost fish, the peacock blenny Salaria pavo, an external fertilizer, females are the courting sex and their sexual displays are conspicuous and unambiguous. We took advantage of this to investigate the role of ovariansynthesized hormones in the induction of sexual displays in females. In particular, the effects of the sex steroids oestradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) and of the prostaglandin F2a (PGF2a) were tested. Females were ovariectomized and their sexual behaviour tested 7 days (sex steroids and PGF2a) and 14 days (sex steroids) after ovariectomy by presenting females to an established nesting male. Ovariectomy reduced the expression of sexual behaviours, although a significant proportion of females still courted the male 14 days after the ovary removal. Administration of PGF2a to ovariectomized females recovered the frequency of approaches to the male's nest and of courtship displays towards the nesting male. However, E2 also had a positive effect on sexual behaviour, particularly on the frequency of approaches to the male's nest. T administration failed to recover sexual behaviours in ovariectomized females. These results suggest that the increase in E2 levels postulated to occur during the breeding season facilitates female mate-searching and assessment behaviours, whereas PGF2a acts as a short-latency endogenous signal informing the brain that oocytes are mature and ready to be spawned. In the light of these results, the classical view for female fishes, that sex steroids maintain sexual behaviour in internal fertilizers and that prostaglandins activate spawning behaviours in external fertilizers, needs to be reviewed.

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“…In fish, androgens, and particularly 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), are known to promote the development of SSC [7] and to influence the expression of male reproductive behaviours [8]. Moreover, social environment modulates androgen levels in teleost fish [9,10].…”

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Social cues in the expression of sequential alternative reproductive tactics in young males of the peacock blenny, Salaria pavo

Fagundes¹,

Simões

Gonçalves

et al. 2012

Physiology & Behavior

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Phenotypic change in response to variation in environmental cues has been widely documented in fish. Transitions in social dominance, in particular, have been shown to induce a rapid switch in reproductive phenotypes in many species. However, this effect has been mainly studied in adults and focused on behavioural transitions. The way social cues constraint the phenotypic development of juveniles remains poorly studied in fish. We tested the importance of social dominance and density in the phenotypic development of juveniles of the peacock blenny Salaria pavo. This species shows sequential male alternative reproductive tactics. In the first breeding season males can reproduce as nest-holders or as parasitic males (female-mimicking), or postpone reproduction; from the following season afterwards all males reproduce as nest-holders. Parasitic males have relatively larger testes that lack a testicular gland, present in the testes of nest-holders. The testicular gland is the main source of androgens in the testes and accordingly nest-holders have higher circulating androgen levels. In addition, exogenous androgen administration to parasitic males promotes the development of secondary sexual characters (SSC) only present in nest-holders such as a head crest and an anal gland. We raised juveniles under a high or low-density treatment and monitored social interactions for 1 month. No significant effect of density on the development of juvenile males was detected. However, within each replicate, the relative body size of juvenile males at the beginning of the experiment determined their dominance status, with dominant males developing towards the nest-holder morphotype. Dominant males engaged in more nest defence behaviour, showed larger testicular glands, had higher levels of 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) and testosterone (T) and developed more SSC, as compared to subordinate males. However, these effects of social dominance were moderated by body condition as only dominant males in good body condition developed SSC. The effect of social dominance and of the area of the testicular gland on the development of SSC was mediated by 11-KT and on the expression of nest defence behaviour by T. Interestingly, in spite of the higher androgen levels and more pronounced morphologic development of SSC in dominant individuals, gonadal development was independent of social dominance and most fish still had underdeveloped testis at the end of the experiment. In conclusion, social dominance promoted the development of the testicular gland, an increase in circulating androgen levels and the development of SSC, but did not promote testicular development. This suggests a dissociation of mechanisms underlying sexual maturation and the expression of male reproductive traits. This dissociation seems to be the key for the occurrence of female-mimicking males in this species, which are sexually mature despite lacking the SSC typical of nest-holders.

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Hormones and Sexual Behavior of Teleost Fishes

Cited by 11 publications

References 238 publications

Castration affects reproductive but not aggressive behavior in a cichlid fish

Castration affects reproductive but not aggressive behavior in a cichlid fish

Oestradiol and prostaglandin F2α regulate sexual displays in females of a sex-role reversed fish

Social cues in the expression of sequential alternative reproductive tactics in young males of the peacock blenny, Salaria pavo

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