Neuro-ethology and behavioural endocrinology of the polymorphic male sexual behaviour of the rock-pool Azorean blenny Parablennius sanguinolentus parvicornis (Pisces: Blenniidae)
University of Algarve; Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences; Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), meer, partner
With the present project we intend to investigate: i) Neural and endocrine polymorphic male sexual behaviour; ii) Organization and active role of the androgens and social factors for male alternative reproduction tactics. The following objectives are hence proposed: i) To characterize of the endocrine profiles of two sexual active males (i.e. territorial and satellite males) and females by measuring the administration of the levels of plasma and urine in the main sexual hormones, testosterone, 11-cetotestosterone, estradiol, 17,20a -P and 17,20b -P.; ii) To characterize of the neural systems typically involved in the reproduction of the teleostei (e.g. POA - pre-optic area of the hypothalamus) of two male types and females recurring to immune-cytochemical methods and in situ hybridization for the arginine vasotocine (AVT), release factor for the gonad-tropins (GnRH) and aromatase; iii) To test the effect of steroids that are normally accepted to influence secondary sexual characteristics that is, testosterone and 11-cetotestosterone, using implants; iv) To evaluate the plasticity of two alternate tactics of reproduction and the potential role of the androgens (testosterone and the 11-cetotestosterone) and the social environment (presence/absence) of the territorial male in its lability; v) To evaluate of the role of different sexual hormones, in special the androgens for the development of the secondary sexual characters and for the expression of the two alternative reproduction tactics; vi) To test the existence of the social control of the sexual maturation and the expression of the secondary sexual characters.
Field: Life sciences - Biology.
