L8_Male Reproduction

Question 1

2 phases of reproductive male behavior

Answer 1

1. appetite phase: behaviors used to gain access to female
2. consummatory phase - copulation

Question 2

MPOA

Answer 2

-testosterone required for MPOA responsiveness

Question 3

BNST

Answer 3

part of limbic system
second amygdala

Question 4

Ventral Medial nucleus/ hypothalamus (VMN)

Answer 4

connectivity sexually dimorphic + aromatase activity

Question 5

Limbic system

Answer 5

BNST and amygdala

Question 6

Amygdala

Answer 6

threat response and mate attraction in humans

Question 7

Ventronasal organ (VNO)

Answer 7

Non-human mammals smells is essential
- main nasal scent goes to main olfactory bulb
- vomeronasal organ to accessory olfactory bulb
-detect pheromones (hormones for communication)
-birds + primates doesn’t have it

VNO also sits the mating circuit to aggression
TRP2 gene affect VNO response to pheromone signals

Question 8

Olfactory bulb

Answer 8

connects to olfactory cortex

Question 9

Accessory olfactory bulb

Question 10

Sexual conflict

Answer 10

when 2 sexes have conflicting optimal startles for reproduction and parental care

Question 11

Antagonistic coevolution

Answer 11

Evolutionary arm race

Question 12

Sperm competition

Question 13

Intralocus conflict

Answer 13

genes that are destructive in one sex are maintained b/c they are favored in opposite sex
- mediated by se chromosome affecting hormones (sex specific gene and expression)

Question 14

Interlocus conflict

Answer 14

lead to antagonistic evolution and evolutionary arm races

Question 15

Male-male competition

Answer 15

-current male behavior : a result of the animals w/ that behavior having left more offspring
- Humans: testosterone induces amygdala activity (threat response)

Question 16

Female preference

Answer 16

• drives male courtship
• subconscious
  -preference only evolve if offspring has greater fitness!

ex:elephant male seals fight over prime locations on beach with low predation

-intersexual selection (choice of mates)
females preference based on:
1. good genes
2. good health
3. good parenting (good parenting)
4. possibly sensory exploitation

Question 17

Good genes

Answer 17

health
- bright color plumage in birds signals immunocompetence (good genes)
- symmetry
- HVC (high vocal center) volume increases with song repertoire size

Question 18

Handicaps

Answer 18

peacocks
father’s eye spots vs surviving after 2 years

Question 19

symmetry

Answer 19

female barn swallow’s symmetrical and less symmetrical tails

Question 20

Chase away selection

Answer 20

predictions:
female preference first = sensory exploitation
preference not beneficial (could be costly)
eg:zebra finch with white crest (meme)

Question 21

Alternative mating tactics

Answer 21

1. conditional strategy
   2.fixed startegies

Question 22

Conditional strategy

Answer 22

flexible behavior = tactics
change from 1 tactic to another
phenotypic plasticity!
mediated by hormonal shifts
ex: early and dominant ejaculator tactic (little male have advantage = different fitness)
Plainfin Midshipman fish
sequential hemaphrodites (clown fish start Male and turn female)
- female fitness increase and male reproductive success decreased

Question 23

Fixed strategy

Answer 23

genetic basis
different strategies = different phenotypes
mediated by hormones (organizational effect)
ex: side blotched lizard, alternative mating strategies and cost of T
tree lizards (low testosterone leads to satellite orange and stress leads nomad orange )

Question 24

Ventromedial hypothalamus/VMN

Answer 24

VMHp Ventromedial Nucleus/ Hypothalamus

VMN activity increase with male-male (aggression) and male-female(mating
ontogenetic to turn on VMN
increase the activity of estrogen receptors from mating to fighting

Question 25

Dopamine

Answer 25

mediates response in MPOA

Question 26

Opioid receptors

Question 27

Immediate early genes ( c Fos, her-1. Text pg 231)

Question 28

Optogenetics (pg 229: fig 5.19)

Question 29

Avian song nuclei