TY - JOUR
T1 - Steroidal control of sexual behavior in the rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa)
T2 - Effects of testosterone, estradiol, and dihydrotestosterone
AU - Deviche, Pierre
AU - Moore, Frank L.
N1 - Funding Information:
This researchw as supportedb y National Science FoundationR esearchG rant PCM 83-16006N, ational Institute of Health Research Grant R01 HD13508,a National Institute of Health Career Development Award 1 K04 HDO0407t o F.L.M., and a NATO Research Fellowship to P.D. We thank C. Propper for varied help.
PY - 1988/3
Y1 - 1988/3
N2 - Adult, sexually mature, male rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) obtained from a wild population were castrated and received Silastic capsules containing testosterone (T), estradiol (E), or 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The newts received three capsules of T, either one or three capsules of E or DHT, or combined treatments with these two steroids. When tested for sexual responsiveness after 32 and 34 days of steroid treatment, no group differed from the castrated controls (C). After 74 and 75 days of treatment, more T-implanted than C newts were sexually responsive, but the newts treated with E, DHT, or these two steroids in combination did not differ behaviorally from the C group. The diameter of the vas deferens was greater in the T- and DHT-treated males than in the C males, indicating that the implants adequately replaced testicular androgens. Together with other studies on this and other species, these results confirm the participation of testosterone in the regulation of sexual behaviors in male amphibians. Furthermore, these results indicate that in this amphibian, the behavioral effects of T are mediated directly by this steroid, not indirectly by enzymatic conversion to DHT or E.
AB - Adult, sexually mature, male rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) obtained from a wild population were castrated and received Silastic capsules containing testosterone (T), estradiol (E), or 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The newts received three capsules of T, either one or three capsules of E or DHT, or combined treatments with these two steroids. When tested for sexual responsiveness after 32 and 34 days of steroid treatment, no group differed from the castrated controls (C). After 74 and 75 days of treatment, more T-implanted than C newts were sexually responsive, but the newts treated with E, DHT, or these two steroids in combination did not differ behaviorally from the C group. The diameter of the vas deferens was greater in the T- and DHT-treated males than in the C males, indicating that the implants adequately replaced testicular androgens. Together with other studies on this and other species, these results confirm the participation of testosterone in the regulation of sexual behaviors in male amphibians. Furthermore, these results indicate that in this amphibian, the behavioral effects of T are mediated directly by this steroid, not indirectly by enzymatic conversion to DHT or E.
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U2 - 10.1016/0018-506X(88)90028-1
DO - 10.1016/0018-506X(88)90028-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 3350475
AN - SCOPUS:0023883206
VL - 22
SP - 26
EP - 34
JO - Hormones and Behavior
JF - Hormones and Behavior
SN - 0018-506X
IS - 1
ER -