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A test of the effect of testosterone on a sexually selected carotenoid trait in a cardueline finch
Author(s) -
Trigo Sandra,
Mota Paulo Gama
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
ecological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1440-1703
pISSN - 0912-3814
DOI - 10.1007/s11284-014-1201-y
Subject(s) - plumage , testosterone (patch) , trait , finch , sexual selection , biology , mate choice , androgen , carotenoid , endocrinology , zoology , botany , hormone , mating , computer science , programming language
A great number of secondary sexual traits are assumed to have evolved as honest signals of individual quality. It is known that androgens regulate many male secondary traits as well as reproductive behavior. The expression of melanin‐based coloration is modulated by androgens, particularly testosterone, and there is some evidence that carotenoid‐based coloration may also be under androgen control. In the European serin, Serinus serinus , male carotenoid‐based plumage coloration is a sexually selected trait, subjected to female choice. In this experiment, we investigated if testosterone influences the expression of this trait by manipulating testosterone levels during molt and assessing how it affected plumage color expression after molt. We found that testosterone had only a negative effect on the size of the yellow ornament. Our experiment shows that testosterone had a limited effect on carotenoid‐based coloration of a cardueline finch.