Population Variation in Steroid Hormone-Related Gene Expression and Sexually Dimorphic Communication in the Electric Fish Apteronotus albifrons.

ABSTRACT: The development and maintenance of sexually dimorphic behavior often depends on gonadal steroids. Interspecific variation in the magnitude of behavioral sex differences may be mediated by differences in steroid action on neural circuits controlling behavior. The electric communication signals of South American knifefishes are an excellent model to study the evolution and neuroendocrinology of sexually dimorphic behavior because species vary in the sexual dimorphism of these signals and because simple and well-characterized neural circuits regulate the production of electrocommunication signals. Specifically, electric organ discharge frequency (EODf) is controlled by the hindbrain pacemaker nucleus (Pn) and differs between sexes in some species but not in others. Species differences in EODf

SUBMITTER: Proffitt MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12406089 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature