Publication
Title
Relationships between hormones, physiological performance and immunocompetence in a color-polymorphic lizard species, **Podarcis melisellensis**
Author
Abstract
Species with alternative phenotypes offer unique opportunities to investigate hormonebehavior relationships. We investigated the relationships between testosterone, corticosterone, morphology, performance, and immunity in a population of lizards (Podarcis melisellensis) which exhibits a color polymorphism. Males occur in three different color morphs (white, yellow, orange), providing an opportunity to test the idea of morphs being alternative solutions to the evolutionary challenges posed on the link between hormones, morphology, performance, and immunity. Morphs differed in bite force capacity, with orange males biting harder, and in corticosterone levels, with yellow males having lower levels than orange. However, morphs did not differ in testosterone levels or in the immunological parameters tested. At the individual level, across morphs, testosterone levels predicted size-corrected bite force capacity, but no relation was found between hormone levels and immunity. Our results do not support the testosterone-based polymorphism hypothesis and reject the hypothesis of a trade-off between testosterone and immunity in this species, but provide a mechanistic link between testosterone and a sexually selected performance trait.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Hormones and behavior. - New York
Publication
New York : 2009
ISSN
0018-506X
DOI
10.1016/J.YHBEH.2009.02.005
Volume/pages
55 :4 (2009) , p. 488-494
ISI
000265342300005
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 14.04.2009
Last edited 23.08.2022
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