Effects of unseasonal environmental regime, grouppresence, group composition and males2 physiologicalstate on ovarian recrudescence in the lizard, anolis carolinensis

Abstract

Reproductively inactive, winterdormant female Anolis carolinensis were exposedto an unseasonal environmental regime eitherindividually or in intact male-female isolatedpairs, all female groups, intact male-femalegroups or castrated male-female groups. Femaleshoused with intact males in either the group orisolated pairs conditions exhibited rapid rates ofovarian recrudescence (OR) and were layingshelled eggs by the third week. Females exposedsolely to the environmental regime as well as females exposed to the environmental regime whilehoused with other females or castrated malesexhibited significantly less rapid rates of environmentally-induced OR and laid only shell-lesseggs. These results indicated that while an unseasonalenvironmental regime will stimulate outof-season OR in winter dormant females, thepresence of an intact conspecific male will causea significantly more rapid rate of OR and isnecessary for normal gonadotropin secretion. © 1974 by The Endocrine Society.