Opsin gene expression regulated by testosterone level in a sexually dimorphic lizard.

ABSTRACT: Expression of nuptial color is usually energetically costly, and is therefore regarded as an 'honest signal' to reflect mate quality. In order to choose a mate with high quality, both sexes may benefit from the ability to precisely evaluate their mates through optimizing visual systems which is in turn partially regulated by opsin gene modification. However, how terrestrial vertebrates regulate their color vision sensitivity is poorly studied. The green-spotted grass lizard Takydromus viridipunctatus is a sexually dimorphic lizard in which males exhibit prominent green lateral colors in the breeding season. In order to clarify relationships among male coloration, female preference, and chromatic visual sensitivity, we conducted testosterone manipulation with mate choice experiments, and ev

SUBMITTER: Tseng WH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6207759 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature