@article{0492b0735bd044e195b2460df486d5e9,
title = "Honest signals and sexual conflict: Female lizards carry undesirable indicators of quality",
abstract = "Sex differences in animal coloration often result from sex-dependent regulatory mechanisms. Still, some species exhibit incomplete sexual dimorphism as females carry a rudimentary version of a costly male trait, leading to intralocus sexual conflict. The underlying physiology and condition dependence of these traits can inform why such conflicts remain unresolved. In eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus), blue iridophore badges are found in males and females, but melanin pigmentation underneath and surrounding badges is male-exclusive. We track color saturation and area of badges across sexual maturity, and their relationship to individual quality (body condition and immunocompetence) and relevant hormones (testosterone and corticosterone). Saturation and testosterone were positively correlated in both sexes, but hormone and trait had little overlap between males and females. Saturation was correlated with body condition and immunocompetence in males but not in females. Co-regulation by androgens may have released females from resource allocation costs of color saturation, even when in high condition. Badge area was independent of testosterone, but associated with low corticosterone in females, indicating that a nonsex hormone underlies incomplete sexual dimorphism. Given the evidence in this species for female reproductive costs associated with ornamentation, this sex-nonspecific regulation of an honest signal may underlie intralocus sexual conflict.",
author = "Assis, {Braulio A.} and Avery, {Julian D.} and Catherine Tylan and Engler, {Heather I.} and Earley, {Ryan L.} and Tracy Langkilde",
note = "Funding Information: We would like to thank G. McCormick for assistance in fieldwork and the staff at Edgar Evins State Park, Standing Stone State Park, and Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Tennessee, and at Mississippi River State Park in Arkansas. Animal capture and use were approved by the respective state permits, and all procedures were approved by the Pennsylvania State University's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (#44595). We thank CC Osborne, GH Perry, DA Puts, S Giery, and two anonymous reviewers for constructive feedback on the manuscript. We are most grateful for the Lansdale family in allowing us to collect individuals on their property. Funding was provided in part by the National Science Foundation (IOS‐1456655 to T.L.). Funding Information: We would like to thank G. McCormick for assistance in fieldwork and the staff at Edgar Evins State Park, Standing Stone State Park, and Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Tennessee, and at Mississippi River State Park in Arkansas. Animal capture and use were approved by the respective state permits, and all procedures were approved by the Pennsylvania State University's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (#44595). We thank CC Osborne, GH Perry, DA Puts, S Giery, and two anonymous reviewers for constructive feedback on the manuscript. We are most grateful for the Lansdale family in allowing us to collect individuals on their property. Funding was provided in part by the National Science Foundation (IOS-1456655 to T.L.). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",
year = "2021",
month = jun,
doi = "10.1002/ece3.7598",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "11",
pages = "7647--7659",
journal = "Ecology and Evolution",
issn = "2045-7758",
publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Ltd",
number = "12",
}