Sex pheromone functions in fish: intraspecific and interspecific aspects

我的研究表明，鱼类已经进化到能够检测到同一物种的其他个体自然释放的前列腺素和类固醇激素，并做出适应性反应。我目前正在研究这些“激素信息素”如何同步鱼类繁殖的四个方面。金鱼中的激素信息素，一种鲤科鱼类：由于雄性金鱼的生殖成功仅取决于他在与其他雄性竞争期间使卵子受精的能力，因此雄性已经进化出一种机制，该机制可以根据激素信息素和来自雄性和雌性的其他线索来调整可释放精子的质量和数量。在目前的研究中，我将确定暴露的时间模式和线索之间的相互作用如何影响这些精子的反应。其他鲤科动物的激素信息素：我们对野生瑞典鲤科动物的实地研究表明，鲫鱼使用与金鱼相同的激素信息素，而其他鲤科动物则没有。我们目前的研究将确定可以检测到鲫鱼激素信息素的水的体积，并寻找鲤类可能有不同策略释放其季节性精子的证据。丽鱼荷尔蒙信息素：鱼类使用激素作为信息素的发现提出了一个重要的问题，即类固醇激素（在鱼类中非常相似）如何作为物种特异性线索发挥作用。我将记录从嗅觉器官的慈鲷鱼，以确定如果他们检测到的类固醇差异提供证据的物种特异性信息素的进化，或由于其他进化机制的变化。4.产卵同步在“巢联营公司”：许多北美鲤鱼“巢联营公司”产卵在其他物种，他们同步产卵建造的巢。我们将确定筑巢者释放的激素是否介导了这种同步性，如果是的话，这些线索是否与巢穴伙伴中同步的雄性-雌性活动相同。

My research has shown that fish have evolved to detect and respond adaptively to prostaglandin and steroid hormones naturally released by other individuals of the same species. I currently am studying four aspects of how these 'hormonal pheromones' function to synchronize fish reproduction.1. Hormonal pheromones in goldfish, a cyprinid fish:  Because a male goldfish's reproductive success depends only on his ability to fertilize eggs during competition with other males, males have evolved mechanisms that adjust both the quality and quantity of releasable sperm in response to hormonal pheromones and other cues from males and females. In current research, I will determine how the temporal patterning of exposure and interactions among cues influences these sperm responses.2. Hormonal pheromones in other cyprinids: Our field studies in wild Swedish cyprinids suggest that crucian carp use the same hormonal pheromones as goldfish, whereas other cyprinids do not. Our current studies will determine the volume of water in which hormonal pheromones of crucian carp can be detected, and also look for evidence that cyprinids may have different strategies for releasing their seasonal production of sperm.3. Cichlid hormonal pheromones: The finding that fish use hormones as pheromones raises the important question of how steroid hormones (which are very similar among fishes), could function as species-specific cues. I will record from the olfactory organ of cichlid fishes to determine if differences in steroids they detect provides evidence for evolution of species-specific pheromones, or changes due to other evolutionary mechanisms.4. Spawning synchrony in "nest associates": Many North American cyprinid "nest associates" spawn in nests constructed by other species, with which they synchronize their spawning. We will determine if hormones released by nest builders mediate this synchrony and, if so, whether these cues are the same as those synchronizing male-female activities within nest associates.