Female receptivity

The production of a female-influencing secretion from the chin gland of male Plethodontid salamander (P. jordani) points to a similar extension of function by the acquisition of female olfactory sensitivity to an intercellular signal protein. Female receptivity is enhanced by a male cytokine-like compound of the interleukin-6 family, in its released form. Rollman et al. (1999) note that pheromonal activity is a previously unrecognised function for cytokines. 

Fig. 5.8(b) VN-x and releasing hormone effects on female receptive behaviour facilitation by LHRH and latency to tactile induction of lordosis in hamster (latency duration, sec.). LHRH restores responsiveness over saline control (from Mackay-Sim and Rose, 1986). 

Rollmann S., Houck L. and Feldhoff R. (1999). Proteinaceous pheromone affecting female receptivity in a terrestrial salamander. Science 285, 1907-1909. 

A Candidate Vertebrate Pheromone, SPF, Increases Female Receptivity in a Salamander... 

Male D. ocoee Pheromone Increased Female Receptivity... 

Houck, L.D. and Reagan, N.L. (1990) male courtship pheromones increase female receptivity in a plethodontid salamander. Anim. Behav. 39, 729-734. 

Conspecific and heterospecific pheromone effects on female receptivity. Animal Behaviour 66,857-861. 

First, a correlation was found between the occurrence, latency and duration of a series of male behaviors and the absolute and relative levels of some CHCs. Latency to initiate courtship (orientation and tapping) was inversely related to the amount of 5-T. This relatively volatile CHC is produced mainly - but not exclusively - by males and may increase female receptivity in some strains. Males of some Zimbabwean strains produce more 5-T than cosmopolitan males (Grillet et al., unpublished data). Female flies from Zimbabwe show a strong sexual discrimination against cosmopolitan males (e.g. Wu et al., 1995), but it is not yet clear whether 5-T is involved in this strong intraspecific sexual isolation. 

The passion flower was used by Catholic missionaries in the Americas to teach about the crucifixion of Christ. It is the events of Christ s passion, or suffering, which were said to be represented in the parts of the flower three stigmas or female receptive parts for the three nails used in the crucifixion, the five anthers for Christ s five wounds, the spiky corona for the crown of thorns, and the five petals and five sepals for the ten faithful apostles (the twelve apostles minus Peter and Judas). Additional interpretations are sometimes given to other parts of the plant, such as the identification of the rounded leaves with the hands of those who crucified Christ. 

Androgens and estrogens are two steroidal hormones that regulate a variety of reproductive and other characteristics. Androgens include testosterone and androsterone and initiate male sexual development. Estrogens include estradiol, estrone, and estriol which are important in the development of female sex characteristics and in regulating female receptiveness and reproduction. 

Barki A, Karplus I (1999) Mating behavior and a behavioural assay for female receptivity in the red-claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus. J Crust Biol 19 493 197... 

Fig. 17.2 Compilation figure (using data from Hebets 2005, 2008 Hebets and Uetz 2000) depicting female receptivity responses to video playbacks of courting conspecific males in the presence (black bars) and absence (white bars) of a seismic courtship signal for (a) Schizocosa uetzi and (b) S. stridulans...

Delivery styles vary greatly among species of salamanders, yet the only function demonstrated for salamander courtship pheromones has been to increase female receptivity. The change in receptivity is inferred on the basis of reduced courtship time as a result of pheromone delivery. Reduced courtship time has been demonstrated quantitatively for two species of terrestrial plethodontid salamanders. In D. ocoee (the species using an injection mode of delivery), courtship time was shorter when a female was treated with a pheromone extract versus an inactive (saline) control solution (Houck Reagan, 1990). In the plethodontid R jordani, pairs in which the female was pre-treated with courtship pheromones escalated to advanced stages of courtship more quickly on average than did pairs in which the... 

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