Heritability and cross-sex genetic correlations of early-life circulating testosterone levels in a wild mammal |
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Authors: | Alyson T. Pavitt Craig A. Walling Josephine M. Pemberton Loeske E. B. Kruuk |
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Affiliation: | 1.Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK;2.Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia |
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Abstract: | Testosterone is an important hormone that has been shown to have sex-specific links to fitness in numerous species. Although testosterone concentrations vary substantially between individuals in a population, little is known about its heritable genetic basis or between-sex genetic correlations that determine its evolutionary potential. We found circulating neonatal testosterone levels to be both heritable (0.160 ± 0.064 s.e.) and correlated between the sexes (0.942 ± 0.648 s.e.) in wild red deer calves (Cervus elaphus). This may have important evolutionary implications if, as in adults, the sexes have divergent optima for circulating testosterone levels. |
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Keywords: | androgens interindividual variation quantitative genetics reproductive endocrinology selection steroid hormones |
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