Dale DeNardo

ANDREW LIRA
BRYCE CYPERT
KEVIN YORK

Background
Education
Associate

Professor at ASU SOLS

Bachelor

of science, Zoology, at UC
Davis (1984)

Doctorate

of veterinary medicine, UC
Davis. Zoological Medicine (1988)

Ph.D.

UC Berkeley in integrative
Biology

Professional Experience
Associate

Veterinarian

Associate

professor, ASU SOLS

Professor

at UC Berkeley

Dale

DeNardos website

Research Interest
Interested

in mostly reptiles. Which

include Gila Monsters, Rattle snakes, and
pythons

How

animals react to certain

environmental settings

How

some of the animals conserve their

needs in a dessert environment, where
resources and nutrients are limited

How

specific environment's affect the

behavior of an animal.

Article
Title:

Testosterone, Endurance, and Darwinian

Fitness: Natural and Sexual Selection on the
Physiological Bases of Alternative Male
Behaviors in Side-Blotched Lizards

Authors:

Barry Sinervo, Donald B. Miles, W.

Anthony Frankino, Matthew Klukowski, and
Dale F. DeNardo

Journal:

Hormones and Behavior, 38, p. 222233 (2000)

Abstract

Question: Do the differing levels in testosterone affect the

endurance and aggression of different phenotypes of the Western
Side-blotched lizard? Can testosterone be given to less
aggressive and active phenotypes in order to increase their
aggression and activity?

Hypothesis: Higher levels of testosterone positively affect the

levels of endurance and aggression in the different phenotypes.

Orange lizards will have the highest levels of endurance and

aggression while blue lizards will have lower levels of both. Yellow
lizards will have the lowest levels of all three phenotypes.

These behaviors can be changed by administering testosterone

artificially.

Abstract Continued

Methods: Testosterone levels were measured upon capture.

Endurance was tested by placing lizards on a treadmill in the

laboratory under a constant speed and temperature.

Aggression was measured by measuring the size of a lizards

territory.

Results: Confirmed their hypothesis. Orange throated lizards had

the highest levels of testosterone, aggression and endurance.
Blue throated lizards have lower levels, and yellow-throated
lizards had the lowest levels of all three phenotypes.

Testosterone injections can positively affect the aggression and

endurance levels of lizards.

Introduction

U. stansburiana lizard was used for the experiment. They can be

found in rocky outcroppings in the inner coast range of California.

Experiment took place during the spring, and they used a

sandstone outcropping with a diameter of 250 meters.

Research Objective:

understanding testosterone effects on all three colors of the side

blotched lizards.
understand evolution of steroid regulation

Methods

Team inserted T implants into each of the lizards.

T implants elevated testosterone levels by ~ 60ng/ml

Team kept the testosterone levels up for 3 months.

Steroid Test
Team

would take blood samples from the lizards.

Then experiment team would ice the blood and run
it through a centrifuge to separate plasma from
blood. Finally the team used the plasma to calculate
amount of testosterone.

Methods Continued.

Edurance

Race the Lizards

Used mini-lizard treadmill

In a controlled environment, they would observe lizards and calculate

their average speed.

From March to June, the experiment team would measure the lizards
endurance two times per week.

Results
Testosterone

Levels

Orange Males = 8

Blue

Males = 17

Yellow

Males = 15

Levels

of Testosterone P>.01

Results Continued

Survival Rates
Yearly

Survival rates for Orange Throat Group were

significantly less than Blue Group (P<.004) and
Yellow Group (P<.003).

This is the predicted cost of the enhanced

Performance of the Orange Group

Survival

Rates for Blue and Yellow groups were

Comparable (P<.05)

Plasma T comparison Results

Those that Started Yellow had levels of

92 +or- 14.7 ng/ml at beginning of
season compared to the Yellow
transforming into Blue who had 149.7
+or- 24.9 ng/ml by end of season

Those that stayed Yellow 48.7 +or- 9.9

P<.05

Survival
Orange =5.8%
Yellow =24.4%
Blue = 22.9%

Conclusion

Link between physiology and function.

Effects of Plasma-T on activity, access to females, range,

survivability, and behavior, territory size, and aggression

All linked to Hormonal Changes

Physiological changes affect behavior changes and plays key role

in individual roles in reproduction.

Effects noted in natural and manipulated values of Testosterone.