Document Detail


Yolk androgens do not appear to mediate sexual conflict over parental investment in the collared flycatcher Ficedula albicollis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19470362     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Males and females are in conflict over parental care, as it would be favourable for one parent to shift labour to the other. Yolk hormones may offer a mechanism through which female birds could influence offspring traits in ways that increase the relative investment by the male. We studied the role of yolk androgens in mediating sexual conflict over parental care in the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). In a cross-fostering experiment, the male's proportion of total feeding visits increased with increasing androgen levels in the foster eggs. This could suggest that sexual conflict over parental care may be influenced by the female's differential allocation of yolk androgens or a maternal effect associated with yolk androgens. However, when we experimentally elevated yolk androgen levels, male feeding rates did not differ between control and androgen-manipulated nests. This suggests that other egg components correlated with yolk androgen levels, rather than yolk androgen levels per se, may influence male parental effort. In conclusion, yolk androgens per se do not appear to mediate sexual conflict over parental investment in the collared flycatcher.
Authors:
Suvi Ruuskanen; Blandine Doligez; Barbara Tschirren; Natalia Pitala; Lars Gustafsson; Ton G G Groothuis; Toni Laaksonen
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2009-02-05
Journal Detail:
Title:  Hormones and behavior     Volume:  55     ISSN:  1095-6867     ISO Abbreviation:  Horm Behav     Publication Date:  2009 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-06-10     Completed Date:  2010-09-30     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0217764     Medline TA:  Horm Behav     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  514-9     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. suvi.ruuskanen@utu.fi
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Androgens / metabolism
Androstenedione / metabolism*
Animals
Animals, Wild
Egg Yolk / metabolism*
Feeding Behavior / physiology
Female
Male
Maternal Behavior / physiology*
Nesting Behavior / physiology*
Passeriformes
Paternal Behavior*
Radioimmunoassay
Testosterone / metabolism*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Androgens; 58-22-0/Testosterone; 63-05-8/Androstenedione

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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