Journal article
Endocrine differences among colour morphs in a lizard with alternative behavioural strategies
Madeleine St Clair Yewers, Tim S Jessop, Devi Stuart-Fox
HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR | ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE | Published : 2017
Abstract
Alternative behavioural strategies of colour morphs are expected to associate with endocrine differences and to correspond to differences in physical performance (e.g. movement speed, bite force in lizards); yet the nature of correlated physiological and performance traits in colour polymorphic species varies widely. Colour morphs of male tawny dragon lizards Ctenophorus decresii have previously been found to differ in aggressive and anti-predator behaviours. We tested whether known behavioural differences correspond to differences in circulating baseline and post-capture stress levels of androgen and corticosterone, as well as bite force (an indicator of aggressive performance) and field bo..
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Awarded by Australian Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
We thank Sarah Pryke, Nina Svendin and Kristal Cain for help with hormone assays at the Australian National University. We are grateful for the field work assistance of Rachael Bartlett, Enrique Cruz, Fran Lyndon-Gee, Sarah Grogan, Jessica Hacking, David Hamilton, Jennifer Hetz, Molly Hunter, Claire McLean, Adnan Moussalli, Montse Sutulov, Tim Tan, Luisa Teasdale, Bryant Turffs and Peter Yewers. This work was funded by the Australian Research Council (DP1092908) to D.S-F., the Nature Foundation SA, an Australian Postgraduate Award and the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowement to M.S.Y. We acknowledge and recognise the Adnyamathanha people past and present, traditional owners of Yourambulla Caves Historic Reserve. Permission to access cultural sites was obtained from the Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Division, South Australian Department of the Premier and Cabinet and local Aboriginal elders.