Social environment and anogenital distance length phenotype interact to explain testosterone levels in a communally rearing rodent: Part 2: The female side

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dc.contributor.authorCorrea, Loreto A.
dc.contributor.authorAspillaga-Cid, Antonia
dc.contributor.authorLeon, Cecilia
dc.contributor.authorBauer, Carolyn M.
dc.contributor.authorRamirez-Estrada, Juan
dc.contributor.authorHayes, Loren D.
dc.contributor.authorSoto-Gamboa, Mauricio
dc.contributor.authorEbensperger, Luis A.
dc.date.accessioned2025-01-20T17:05:39Z
dc.date.available2025-01-20T17:05:39Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstractTestosterone is known as a "male" hormone; however, females also synthetize testosterone, which influences female sexual and aggressive behavior. In female vertebrates, as in males, testosterone levels can vary seasonally. However, female testosterone levels may also be related with female anogenital distance (AGD) length phenotype (a proxy of prenatal androgen exposure), and the social group environment. We used data from a long -term rodent study (2009-2019) in a natural population of degus (Octodon degus) to examine the potential associations between female serum testosterone levels, season, female AGD phenotype, and social group composition. We quantified female serum testosterone levels during the mating and offspring rearing seasons, and we determined the number of females and males in social groups, as well the composition of groups, in terms of the AGD of the female and male group mates. Our results indicate that female testosterone levels vary with season, being highest during the offspring rearing season. Additionally, female testosterone levels were associated with the number of male group-members and the AGD of male group-members but were not associated with female social environment and focal female AGD phenotype. Together, our results suggest that female testosterone levels are sensitive to intersexual interactions. Our results also reveal that female and male testosterone levels do not differ between the sexes, a finding previously reported only in rock hyraxes. We discuss how the complex social system of degus could be driving this physiological similarity between the sexes.
dc.fuente.origenWOS
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105486
dc.identifier.eissn1095-6867
dc.identifier.issn0018-506X
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105486
dc.identifier.urihttps://repositorio.uc.cl/handle/11534/90736
dc.identifier.wosidWOS:001175446300001
dc.language.isoen
dc.revistaHormones and behavior
dc.rightsacceso restringido
dc.subjectAnogenital distance length
dc.subjectFemale testosterone
dc.subjectFemale phenotype
dc.subjectMale phenotype
dc.subjectSocial group environment
dc.titleSocial environment and anogenital distance length phenotype interact to explain testosterone levels in a communally rearing rodent: Part 2: The female side
dc.typeartículo
dc.volumen160
sipa.indexWOS
sipa.trazabilidadWOS;2025-01-12
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