| Prenatal sex ratios and expression of sexually dimorphic traits in three snake species. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 16788914 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Variation in intrauterine exposure to hormones associated with variation in the sex of litter mates has well-established and far-reaching effects on sexual development in some mammals. Research on this phenomenon in reptiles is scant, but suggests that lizards may follow the mammalian model whereas snakes may be affected differently. We examined sex-specific expression of four sexually dimorphic traits (tail length, head length, ventral scale count, swimming speed) in three species of snakes (Nerodia sipedon, Thamnophis sirtalis, T. sauritus) relative to litter sex ratios. We found little evidence that traits in either sex were masculinized or feminized in response to variation in litter sex ratio. The one significant result appeared best explained as a statistical artifact attributable to a single litter. Our results indicate that snakes are different from the one lizard studied to date. Unlike previous suggestions that prenatal hormonal mechanisms operate differently in snakes and lizards, however, the difference appears to be that development of sexually dimorphic traits in lizards is affected by litter sex ratios whereas in snakes it is not. |
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Authors:
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Patrick James Weatherhead; Kelley Joan Kissner; Sophie Jane Sommerer |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Comparative experimental biology Volume: 305 ISSN: 1548-8969 ISO Abbreviation: J. Exp. Zoolog. Part A Comp. Exp. Biol. Publication Date: 2006 Aug |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2006-08-14 Completed Date: 2006-10-24 Revised Date: 2009-10-05 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 101168223 Medline TA: J Exp Zool A Comp Exp Biol Country: United States |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 603-9 Citation Subset: IM |
Copyright Information:
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Copyright 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. |
Affiliation:
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Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ont., Canada K1S 5B6. pweather@uiuc.edu |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Animals Colubridae / anatomy & histology, physiology* Female Head / anatomy & histology, growth & development Lizards / anatomy & histology, physiology Male Sex Characteristics* Sex Ratio* Skin / anatomy & histology Species Specificity Swimming / physiology Tail / anatomy & histology, growth & development |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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